We've all heard the chestnut "praise in public but criticize in private". They really are words to live by and much has been written about them in the past. I don't really wish to focus directly on the phrase since it really is a concept, but let's look at one aspect of the concept which is one of the early things I learned as a cadet, the importance of rewarding people for a job well done.

Allow me toss out one of those broad statements that writers should avoid. All normal people like being rewarded when they've worked hard and done a good job. This includes cadets (not that cadets aren't normal but we all know some….) Pavlov taught us all about operant conditioning and that giving a reward causes an animal (humans are animals too) to repeat the act that got them the reward. Certainly there is a little bit of this in rewarding good work, we want good things repeated, but it is really a whole lot more. What we want to evoke in our followers and peers is the desire to go above and beyond and to do the best that they can do.

In the business world we accomplish a lot of this with a paycheck. We all have to eat and in order to do that most of us have to work. As a point of fact, I am writing this on a United Airlines flight to Denver for a conference that caused me to have to get up at 0330 in the morning to catch a 0600 flight. As an employer a paycheck gets you, if you're lucky, eight hours of work for eight hours of pay. What it doesn't get is employees willing to work through lunch, come in early or stay late, and stick with you to get a project done even with an impossible deadline to meet. Of course since this is an article for CadetStuff we all know that we volunteers don't get paid for what we do. Or do we?

Back to the paycheck thing, so I can finish that thought. As a "boss" my philosophy for setting someone's starting salary is I always try and give them a little more then they ask for. If they are seeking a starting salary of $45,000 per year then I offer them $46 or $47. In the course of a year a thousand or two is very little compared to an employee who understands that you trust and believe in them, that you want them to work for you and you are willing to pay a little more then what they think they are worth. Now lest any of you get the idea to start sending me resumes asking for six figure salaries, when someone asks for a salary way outside the range they should be paid based on experience, education, and the position they are seeking, they get the old "thanks for applying but the position we are seeking to fill is below the level of the job you are qualified for". Sure maybe they would accept a significantly lower offer but they would always feel "cheap" and would also always be looking for a new job.

How do we make this fit with working with unpaid people? As a leader you also have intrinsic (as opposed to extrin$ic) rewards to give to your people. Praising them in public lasts for a little while but calling them up in front of the general session at your Wing Conference and presenting them with a certificate of appreciation or commanders commendation lasts for as long as they get a warm feeling when they see it hanging on the wall or see it in the ribbon they wear on their uniform. However, let me warn you about the relative value of an award. When a person works hard, gets the mission done and makes you look good they deserve a little something extra. If the person shows up to an event but does little else, they deserve a thanks for coming but that's about it. The person that busted their butt working on a project will probably not value the award if they receive the same one you gave the guy that just showed up. In other words, be smart and use good judgment and follow my rule of rewarding a little more then the person expects.

The awards manual says any member can nominate any other member for an award. The biggest problem I see as a member of an awards board is either people don't do it or they do a very short "he's a great guy and deserves this award" justification. If it is worth nominating someone it is worth doing it right. Most awards board members don't know the guy you're nominating so make their job a little easier and submit a well written and documented justification.

My final request for you as a leader is that you take the time to make rewarding your people a priority. My wife kids me that the people at my old job love me. I don't know if they do or they don't but what I do know is that they know that I appreciated them and that I took care of them when I was their advocate to the big boss. I'd expect the same from all you future leaders!