There is nothing I love more as an employer than to reward those on staff who work hard with a positive attitude. The baseball great, Sam Ewing, said it best – “Hard work spotlights the character of people: some turn up their sleeves, some turn up their noses, and some don’t turn up at all.” We like to recognize those at Dagley Insurance who are willing to turn up their sleeves. This is why the Dagley Insurance Spirit Award was created.
Sure, we reward our top producers, but by far this is my favorite award to give out each quarter. This individual must be a team player, helping others and exceeding expectations. He or she must lead through encouragement with an attitude of positivity that is contagious. This team member makes opportunities, takes initiative and looks for ways to improve our organization. Their peers nominate the Spirit Award recipient.
Each quarter our staff emails me name of the team member who they feel is most deserving of this award, along with why they believe this person should receive it. I love opening my inbox that morning to read emails from team members applauding their peers. Oftentimes, I am completely unaware that an individual has gone above and beyond in a certain area because they would never brag about it themselves. Thankfully, their teammates don’t let these efforts go unnoticed. The tough part is choosing who out of the nominees deserves it the most!
We announce this award among others at our Producers Meeting each quarter. Just this past week we surprised Tracy Wiederkher, Customer Service Manager at our Katy insurance office, with the Spirit Award. The Customer Service Department has undergone a few transitions this past quarter and Tracy has really stepped up to the plate, exhibiting all the qualities that embody the Spirit Award recipient. And this wouldn’t be the first time Tracy’s name has made the Spirit Award plaque!
If you haven’t implemented a way to honor team members like Tracy in your organization, I encourage you to do so. Not only do you learn about the amazing feats that employees perform on a day-to-day basis that might otherwise have gone unnoticed, you are able to reward these individuals as well. It also serves to establish a culture that promotes character above all else. As the CEO of Dagley Insurance and Financial Services, it is one of the activities I look forward to the most each quarter. Congratulations, Tracy!