[tab name=’Guidelines’]

Guidelines : To Your Own Staff

Commending Your Own Staff
Guidelines and Alternate Phrases

Begin with your overall commendation for the reader’s effort, attitude, or results, and then get specific in your praise.
If you’re learning to ride a horse, and you fall off, you must climb right back on and try again. It appears that’s just what you’ve done. Your sales record has never looked better–your sales in July were 20 percent above quota!
Under your excellent leadership, the team has continued to shine as the most capable of the region. Your record of completed projects is outstanding.
Thank you for your empathy, sound judgment, and skill last week in handling the unfortunate situation at the Cordell site. With no time to prepare, you immediately took control of the dazed visitors, minimizing the potential for panic and even legal liabilities.
I want to commend you on the excellent job you did in evaluating our recent purchase of property in the Allen community. You exhibited unwavering commitment to the stated goals while aggressively pursuing a new way of looking at the revenue potential.
Although my work involvement with you is now limited, I can honestly say your comments to us have always been especially timely and constructive.
The technical expertise you brought to the job was remarkable.
The professional manner in which you conducted yourself at the project meeting with the client had a very positive influence on a job that was in deep trouble from the outset.
The excellent quality of the work you did is unlike anything I’ve encountered here at International.
You have made an excellent contribution over the year to business growth, leadership, and customer satisfaction. Unsolicited favorable responses about our services have doubled.
Your explanation and diagnosis was the best I’ve ever heard on the subject.
You have been instrumental in establishing the necessary credibility with the client.
We have achieved several wins specifically because you are on our team.
Be informal in tone; think of your memo as a warm handshake or the proverbial slap on the back.
Include names. People, not departments, do work. They like to know you recognize their individual achievements and contributions. If you have many people to be commended, at least include their names in a distribution list.
Avoid any negative comments about the situation that may detract from the praise. For example, if you’re commending the reader for an excellent proposal presentation to a customer, don’t mention the key decision-maker didn’t bother to glance through it in the briefing meeting.
Stay focused on the reader and keep yourself out of the picture. You don’t want to sound as though you are tooting your own horn of leadership. Use the “you” approach rather than “we.”
You have certainly made us all look good.
Your professionalism was quite evident in this tense situation.
You used sound judgment that signifies clear thinking.
Your integrity and honesty in all such situations impress upon our customers again and again why they should return to our doors.
Your individual talents will always make the difference in how successful the company becomes.
With or without me around, you always seem to do an exceptional job.
You are the kind of employee who enables me to leave the office for a few days worry-free.
You contributed just the expertise I needed to make the project successful.
Don’t sound manipulative. Let your intent be to congratulate on work well done rather than to motivate to greater achievement–although commendations often do have motivational effect.
Don’t focus solely on benefits to the company to the exclusion of personal rewards. If you can say so truthfully, mention any personal or career benefit for the reader you think will come of the effort.
I’m very pleased to contribute my support to your efforts in other locations. Please call on me for any help I can provide.
I think this new experience will enable you to handle far more responsibilities than we’ve thus far given you. I’m looking forward to giving you other assignments that will continue to stretch your abilities.
I will not hesitate to recommend you in any capacity that requires your expertise and self-motivation.
You have the dedication and drive we like to see at Hilton Associates.
Such effort can’t go unnoticed and unrewarded in our organization. In my way of thinking, the sooner the better.
We’re looking forward to the opportunity to increase your responsibilities to match your talents.
We have exciting plans for your future here at Bechtel.
Obviously, your move to our division was the right one for you, too.
I hope the work has been as exciting and as challenging for you personally as it has been for the company.
As I hear it, you are making quite a name for yourself around here. Thank you.
I hope other opportunities will surface in the near future that will allow you to gain even more visibility for your efforts.
We will make every effort to let others in the division know you were the driving force behind the project.
When you can, commend with tangible rewards such as bonuses, increased commissions, public recognition (with a distribution list), or even more responsibility. Never, however, promise what you can’t deliver.

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[tab name=’Example 1′]

Example 1: Congratulation letter to your staff

Memorandum
TO:
FROM:
DATE:
SUBJECT: Commendation on Time-Management Skills
From your March sales reports, I see your new time-management skills have paid handsome dividends. Proper time management adds up to additional selling time, which means more closing opportunities, which, in turn, mean more sales. Overall, our team sales rose 38 percent during this month.
During our last meeting, I pointed out some of your trouble spots, such as random scheduling, delayed appointments, and paperwork. From your current reports, I see on the average you made 1.6 more calls per day and all weekly paperwork was submitted on schedule.
You learn quickly; I’ll be expecting even greater things in April.
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[tab name=’Example 2′]

Example 2: Memorandum for commendation to your own staff

Company Name or Letterhead
Address
City, State Zip
Date
Addressee
Address
City, State Zip
Dear Silvia:
I want to express my sincere appreciation for the outstanding manner in which you have performed your usual duties in recent weeks in addition the responsibilities for the day-to-day operations since Tim Nizte’s sudden resignation.
Your cheerful demeanor and enthusiastic personality, combined with an exceptionally positive work ethic, have won you the respect and admiration of your co-workers. We all noted the long hours required to cover the extra telecommunication equipment installations and the accompanying operator training.
Especially, I want to recognize how you flawlessly orchestrated the April 5-6 Region IX management meeting. Your meticulous attention to every travel and meeting site detail made this function a totally enjoyable and productive session for the 28 managers who attended. This was, by far, the most successful meeting in recent memory.
Please accept this letter as a slightly more tangible expression of the esteem and gratitude with which I view your work here at Hartbro.
Sincerely,
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[tab name=’Example 3′]

Example 3: Encouragement letter to staff

Memorandum
TO:
FROM:
DATE:
SUBJECT: Mounting Sales of Tractors
Ted Box has reported to me that you have been successful in selling seven TR 2000 tractors during February. My congratulations on this outstanding achievement.
I know this kind of result takes a good deal of planning, time, and creativity to tailor your sales presentations to the specific customer’s needs.
Your effort in attending the “closing” seminar in San Francisco, I’m sure, has much to do with your present success.
Please know we recognize and appreciate outstanding work such as this.
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[tab name=’Example 4′]

Example 4: Sample letter of commendations to your staff

Company Name or Letterhead
Address
City, State Zip
Date
Addressee
Address
City, State Zip
Dear Marty:
Congratulations on winning over Fenton Lybrand, Inc. I understand the key players over there had all but taken our proposal out of the running until you initiated the series of meetings for all three levels of management involved in the decision.
Those on our own team who sat in on your presentations told me your technical knowledge of the AATC configuration and the potential applications for their software choices made Fenton Lybrand take notice. I know such technical presentations can be overwhelming for lay decision-makers, so obviously you had the correct mix of technical information and day-to-day operational benefits.
Please pass on my compliments to Shirley Tellspen and Drew Howard for their support in actually drafting the proposal.
As you can imagine, several senior executives have been watching the progress of this effort during the past 18 months. I plan to see you and your team get the recognition you deserve.
Sincerely,
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[tab name=’Example 5′]

Example 5: Staff performance letter

Memorandum
TO:
FROM:
DATE:
SUBJECT: Outstanding Job at the Oakland Data Center
Gene, you and your people have done an outstanding job in working together to solve the problems we encountered at the Oakland Data Center last year. I have had many comments from my customers lately on our improved reliability and customer service. Universal Corporation has been especially complimentary about our services.
Special thanks to Joe Smartley, Lisa Henry, and Mary Johnson. Keep up the good work.
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[tab name=’Example 6′]

Example 6: Commendation templates

Company Name or Letterhead
Address
City, State Zip
Date
Addressee
Address
City, State Zip
Dear Silas:
On behalf of the organization, I thank you for your time and effort in resolving the five-month Drayton situation. Drayton is a very technical and demanding customer. Through your continuous efforts in helping them to identify and correct their diagnostic procedures, they are now aggressively purchasing our newest products.
Additionally, our suggestion to them to stay current with maintenance has significantly improved their operations, and they have the productivity figures to prove it.
We appreciate your follow-through and sincere commitment on the customer’s behalf. Employees like you keep us in business.
Sincerely,
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[tab name=’Example 7′]

Example 7: Commendation on time-management skills

Memorandum
TO:
FROM:
DATE:
SUBJECT: “Scheduling for Success” Campaign
Such enthusiasm as you have been able to generate in your staff in launching the “Scheduling for Success” campaign is contagious. You have implemented an effective method for coordinating our publicity efforts.
And to top off the practical advantages, the staff seems actually to understand the intricacies of the process; their own follow-up divisional campaigns suggest they have really “bought into” your theory.
Rest assured a bonus will be forthcoming later in the year. Until then, a 21-gun salute.
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[tab name=’Example 8′]

Example 8: Staff performance letter

Memorandum
TO:
FROM:
DATE:
SUBJECT: Twenty-five Years Service Award
I am pleased to enclose with this memo a Service Award Certificate to commemorate your 25 years of service with Benington’s.
Our good reputation in the community is based upon the loyal commitment of our employees. In fact, in a recent phone conversation, one of our few “complaining” customers remarked about your concerned efforts in righting our invoicing error. It seems having you on staff was one of the few things in her estimation we’d done right!
Along with this honorary recognition to display on your office wall, I thank you sincerely for your efforts on behalf of the company.
Best wishes for many more years with us.
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[tab name=’Example 9′]

Example 9: Letter for Staff performance

Company Name or Letterhead
Address
City, State Zip
Date
Addressee
Address
City, State Zip
Dear Monty:
Thank you for your invaluable help on the communications committee this past year. Through your hard work and commitment, we have gained increased readership for our publications, on-time delivery, and greater advertising support.
I’m sincerely grateful for your contribution of time and talent. Many of us were aware of the three or four long weekends you devoted to the project, not to mention your expertise in interviewing. We are grateful for your hard work.

Regards,
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[tab name=’Example 10′]

Example 10: Staff letters

Company Name or Letterhead
Address
City, State Zip
Date
Addressee
Address
City, State Zip
Dear Al:
Please accept these two Hammerheads tickets as a personal token of my appreciation of the fine job you did on the Markwardt work request for the 1012 building brace removal. Your solution was inexpensive, timely, and, best of all, exactly what the customer needed.
Performance like this is what the operating departments see as proper support of their business needs, and I commend you for your effort. Thank you for making us look good.
Regards,
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[tab name=’Example 11′]

Example 11: Letter To Your Own Staff

Company Name or Letterhead
Address
City, State Zip
Date
Addressee
Address
City, State Zip
Dear Kimberly:
Marvin informed me this morning that through your efforts we have set a new record for cash-posting timeliness in April…100 percent in three days. Even more impressive was the fact 94 percent were posted on the first day. These are outstanding results, and you should take pride in them!
As you know, our objective around here is to make Varvaughn the best water-purifying company in the world. It is with individuals such as you that we will make this happen.
You’ve set the standard for everyone else to follow!
Yours Truly,
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