If you wonder where you should focus your attention in your organization, think about the last time you gave someone an award for something. It was probably because they did something that your group really needs, but doesn’t happen enough. Probably something that, if done all the time, would take your group to a higher level of success.

What did it take them to do it? It probably took a lot of personal effort. They probably had to break out of their normal role and think in a different way or extend themselves beyond the usual expectations. Maybe they had to go around the rules to act according to the spirit behind the rules.

If you want to work on something, work on making that action a normal part of your business, one that happens all the time without requiring special effort. Make that action ordinary, not extraordinary. Then give an award for something else.