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RATT Takes Qualities on the Road

by Steven Wang

The Recognition Awareness Training Team (RATT) has a long and varied history in Financial Management (FM) as the training arm of the Recognition Quality Team (RQT). The RATT gives new employees training on recognition, and other training as needed. The current RATT team includes Diane Cooley, team leader; Kyra Worrell, Jon Vanvick, Mickey Galbreth, Steven Wang, and RQT liaison Kelly Cook.

This past December, the RATT successfully completed the most recent tour of its Recognition Road Show. The RATT has taken its recognition show on the road two times before, each time customizing the content of the program to the current recognition training needs of FM. The Road Show theme for 2005 focused on the six FM qualities: Trustworthy, Committed, Inspiring, Approachable, Trusting of Others, and Collaborative. Sessions were then provided to every department within FM.

As a spin-off from the FM qualities emails composed and distributed by the 2004-2005 RQT, the RATT decided to focus their training on these highly valued attributes. Handouts and poster boards were created with illustrations and descriptions for each individual quality, and discussions took place where participants were asked a number of questions. For example:

Think of someone, anyone, who you would describe as particularly (trustworthy). What is it about that person that gives you that impression?

Why is (commitment) necessary?

Do you recognize (inspiring) qualities here in the office? What do you notice?

Do you feel more productive when interacting with this person(s)? Is communication enhanced? How so?

The objective of these questions, and the discussions that followed, was to simply bring recognition to the forefront of peoples’ minds. With the exception of new staff, it is presumed that the whole of FM is aware of and understands each quality. However, after these sessions, the RATT Team is hopeful that staff will be more able to recognize these qualities in the workplace and take the time to thank and appreciate the individual that displays that quality.

Thus far, the RATT has received nothing but positive feedback on these sessions. They have received glowing emails and in-person acknowledgements about the hard work put in to the presentations and activities.

The RATT hopes that the final outcome of this increased awareness of the six qualities (Trustworthy, Committed, Inspiring, Approachable, Trusting of Others, and Collaborative) is the ability to recognize the exceptional performance of our co-workers through both the formal recognition channels in FM and the informal recognition of smiles and simple “thank you’s”.