Recognition and Rewards are Reachable

Last week I explored the theme of why doing the right thing doesn’t always lead to instant rewards. Thanks to those who replied back, and shared their views. I always enjoy learning from readers like you!

What I learned is that we’re pretty much in agreement when it comes to personal goals and projects: we cannot expect instant rewards. Joy comes from the journey 😉

However, in a professional context, rewards and recognition are to be expected but seem unreachable.

So this week let’s tackle the two questions I left you with:

1. What if someone previously agreed to reward you – like a promotion?
2. What if you’re just spinning your wheels doing hard work and not seeing results or rewards?

I get asked #1 a lot, and I’ve coached a number of people on how to get promotions and raises in both startups and big companies. I’ll also provide some strategies for addressing #2.

1. Understand what is being graded, how it is being graded, and who is doing the grading.

First, realize that there is such a thing as wishy-washy criteria and a moving target. It can be frustrating, and the only way to combat it is to confront it.  

Especially if you felt like you worked hard, went out of your way, and delivered quality results.

There is a way to confront with composure when you feel like you’re not being rewarded or recognized for your work.

Start by asking questions like, “I’d like to understand how I was evaluated. Mind sparing a few minutes to walk me through the criteria?”

Then understand what was graded, “I worked on the following projects: X, Y, and Z. Can you tell me if all of these were taken into consideration?”

Realize that sometimes people won’t consider special projects that you decided to spearhead, because it wasn’t agreed upon initially. They feel like you went off on a tangent, and while you might have done good work, it’s not the work they hired you to do.

Finally, know who was doing the grading. People usually keep specific feedback confidential, but you, at least, deserve to know who was involved.

What should emerge is clear criteria that is consistent. If that doesn’t happen, then it’s OK to say that you feel like the criteria isn’t clear and to set it up going forward.

2. Timing is everything.

Companies are always in flux. There are reorgs, budget cuts, and ongoing fundraising efforts.

Many times people because backoff because they want to be sensitive to the situation.

It’s fine the first time around, but after awhile you do deserve to be rewarded. If it’s been more than 6-12 months, it’s OK to candidly ask if you can expect to receive one in the next quarter.

It’s up to you to decide if you care enough to wait or if you want to pursue other options. Either way, the ball is pretty much in your court.

3. Be clear about what you want and when you want it.

People are either heads down or they have their head in the clouds… What I mean by that is they don’t know that you want a promotion!

You’ll also want to take some time to prepare, and I cover how to in this talk.

Once you’ve prepared, it’s OK to set aside time with your supervisor and say, “I’m looking to get promoted. Can we discuss what I need to do in order to make that happen?”

I remember an old colleague of mine, Hal. From the moment we interviewed Hal, he was pretty clear that he wanted to become a lead engineer or else he’d be polishing off his resume. He was ok with taking a role as an individual contributor, but expected to be a lead in 6 months and was willing to do the work to prove that he could be one. Every quarter Hal would check in to make sure he was on track. At the end of the 6 months, you bet Hal got that promotion!

In the case of Hal, the timing worked out. However, many people want to see consistent results, so make sure your timeline is realistic and aligned with those who are grading you.

4. Get support!

This not something you do alone. In fact, if you do it’s very likely that you won’t see results. You’ve got to start by figuring out who is willing to back you, can provide you with ongoing feedback, and consistently coach you to help you get that promotion.

And it’s OK to promote yourself, I loved this quote from one reader, Ronan:

“In the context of work I would also say that you need to promote yourself appropriately. People need to know that you are doing the right thing. Tooting your own horn, or your teams’ horn is something not to be forgotten.”

It doesn’t have to be incessant and obnoxious, but there is no harm in taking 5-10 minutes once a quarter in a meeting to explain the work you and your team has done. Just be clear about your specific contributions versus your teams!

Here’s a quick video on How to Present Your Work Without Sounding Self-Promotional.

Now if you just got a performance review and it wasn’t rosy, don’t worry.

There is such a thing as a regrade. In the book Thanks for the Feedback (quickly becoming one of my favorite books), the authors talk about what to do in the event you get a bad first grade.

Basically, start by accepting it and try what I suggested in #1. Then you’ll want to set a deadline for the regrade, and have people evaluate you based on how much you’ve grown and improved since the initial evaluation.

Realize that you have more say in the review than you might realize, and start by understanding the process and criteria.

Finally, yes there are environments where people are biased. It might be because of your initial role like if you came in as an intern or contractors, they might still perceive you as such and not seen how much you’ve grown and contributed. Or they might not find value in your talents and contributions.

It’s a hard realization to come to, but it’s up to you to value yourself and acknowledge that you can choose your next steps.

Now I want to know when was the last time you received a promotion or reward, and why did you get one? Let me know in the comments below!

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