Recognition isn’t a soft perk - it’s a performance system. We’ll align on today’s goals, define what “strategic recognition” actually means, and what are some of the key levers we should be pulling on in 2026.

Why recognition programs stall (points fatigue, uneven manager habits, vague criteria) and how leading orgs are redesigning for impact. We’ll walk through a simple equation - Clarity x Cadence x Credibility = Culture Change and show how to tie appreciation to capability building, customer outcomes, and retention.

‍Build the Real-Time Recognition Flywheel - Stand up a lightweight, always-on system that captures wins in the flow of work (Slack/Teams, quick tags, monthly highlight reel). Includes templates for tags aligned to values/competencies and a 30-minute “launch in a week” checklist.

Manager Micro-Habits That Stick (10 Minutes/Week) - Train managers to deliver specific, behavior-based recognition without adding meetings. Micro-scripts, calendar nudges, and a 3-question reflection they can use in one-on-ones to turn appreciation into repeatable excellence.

Tie Recognition to Outcomes (Not Just Effort) - Move beyond generic kudos. Map recognition to OKRs and customer metrics using a simple “Signal → Story → Standard” template so every shout-out reinforces the behaviors that actually move the business.

A candid conversation on what worked, what fizzled, and the pivots that unlocked momentum. We’ll tackle budget constraints, program fatigue, fairness across hybrid teams, and recognition that backfires.

‍Design Recognition for Change & Tough Seasons - Keep trust and performance steady during reorganizations, fast growth, or cost pressure. Cadences, talk-tracks, and “stability rituals” that leaders can deploy when uncertainty is high.

Peer-to-Peer Rituals that Scale (Without a New Tool) - Turn your existing stack (Slack/Teams/Google Workspace/M365) into a recognition engine. Channel architecture, weekly prompts, moderation guardrails, and a monthly “gratitude retro” that teams actually love.

Data, Dashboards, and Storytelling - Show impact without boiling the ocean. The 7 metrics that matter, a simple dashboard spec, and a narrative template to brief execs quarterly: what we did, what it changed, what we’ll adjust next.

Quick commitments, a starter playbook, and an accountability check. Everyone leaves with one habit to start, one ritual to pilot, and one metric to watch.