Employee recognition: breakthrough insights from senior leaders

When industry thought leaders come together from around the world to share insights into their companies' employee recognition practices, businesses move forward. Smart people grow smarter. And the ripple effects of appreciation go on and on. Check out some of the highlights of O.C. Tanner's annual Executive Recognition Summit, now eight years in the running. 

  • David Sturt

    Appreciate Great Work

    David Sturt

    O.C. Tanner’s David Sturt looks at the human need to do great work and be recognized for it — a dynamic cycle of performance and appreciation that the best cultures know how to elicit and perpetuate.

  • Michael Watkins

    Accelerating Leadership Transitions

    Michael Watkins

    Dr. Watkins looks at leadership style and how different stages in an organizational lifecycle call for different leadership skills, from start-up to sustaining success to shutdown. Where are you on the leadership continuum?

  • Tom Stuwew

    Less Turnover Through Better Engagement

    Tom Stuwew

    Tom Stuewe offers the advice he wishes he'd learned years ago: Do the right thing by people, and th financials will follow. (In fact, the money he puts into recognition now earns a 20-times return for the company. As far as he's concerned, it's the company's best investment.)

  • Jeffrey Pfeffer

    Overcoming the Knowing-Doing Gap

    Jeffrey Pfeffer

    Jeffrey Pfeffer, the world's foremost authority on organization behavior and culture building, explores why organizations don't do what they know they should. Closing that knowing-doing gap is critical. In this powerful short clip, Pfeffer, explains what's at stake.

  • Mark Servodidio

    Becoming an Industry Leader Through Recognition

    Mark Servodidio

    How do you motivate people, day in and day out — especially in a stressful business like meeting travelers' needs? At Avis, “We Try Harder” is not just a marketing tagline. It is an initiative internalized by every employee to fulfill the company's strategy on a daily basis. Mark Servodidio shares astory that brings that “trying harder” value to life.

  • Jim Kouzes

    Elements of Successful Recognition

    Jim Kouzes

    For Kouzes, seven elements make up effective recognition and encouragement and in this short clip, he addresses one of the seven — the value of storytelling. More than corporate guidelines or policies, it's stories that people remember.

  • Jim Olson

    Creating a Caring Culture to Inspire Performance

    Jim Olson

    For Jim Olson, creating a caring culture, an environment where his 7,000 employees feel valued for their contributions, is essential to success. Because when recognition really is front and center in an organization — look out. Even a rock can achieve rockstar status. And a pin can inspire passionate customer service.

  • David Jackson

    Driving Employee Engagement

    David Jackson

    Dave Jackson offers his perspective on truly meaningful surveys: why to do a census of every employee vs. a sample size, the importance of confidentiality, and how a low-response rate biases scores.

  • Scott Northcutt

    Everyday Heroes Deliver Measureable Results

    Scott Northcutt

    DHL's Scott Northcutt reflects on finding “everyday heroes” and what it takes to bring out the best in them, as exemplified by his 10-year old son's favorite coach. What does Coach Dwight do to bring out the “hero” in each kid? Hear his winning strategy here.