Kudo Cards

Subject

Empower people / Appreciation

Participants

The entire organization, agile teams, stakeholders, any department

Facilitator

Agile Coach / Agile Master

Photo by Olga Thelavart on Unsplash

Summary

By using Kudo Cards, people can express their gratitude very easily. Kudo Cards are a written and publicly recognize a colleague for something he/she has contributed to the team. The cards can be given cross through organizations, teams and departments. It is a transparent manner to mitigate hierarchical barriers and to encourage everyone to offer open feedback and to publicly show appreciation.

Definition

Kudo-Card is e.g. a sticker with a message on it to thank someone. "Kudos" is a greek word and means honor, glory, renown.

Motivation

Kudo Cards are simple instruments to break the traditional hierarchical organizational systems. Receiving a Kudo Card can highly motivate and show appreciation. Studies have revealed that people are substantially more motivated by receiving an honest 'thank you' than a financial reward.

Results

Open feedback and shown appreciation.

Benefit

Team members get recognition and appreciation, what leads to higher motivation and committment.

Procedure

Your can order the Kudo Cards from the Management 3.0 website or make your own cards. Instead of cards you can e.g. create stubs with positive messages. Place the cards in your meeting rooms or somewhere in the office or any free place within the team's space / organization, so that everyone can access them. The cards are categorized and can be written or used by anyone at any time. The Cards can be collected anonymously in a box or be placed on a wall – the Kudo wall. People can stick their received cards on it, in order to make them public and spread the 'appreciation–virus' through the entire organization.

Tools

Kudo cards, Kudo stickers, Kudo stubs, a box (e.g. a colored, fancy shoe box), a free wall within the working area/open space / whiteboard

Hints

In remote teams you can use this method too, e.g. by placing a "Kudo Wall" higly visible on your project site.

See also

Management 3.0 - Kudo cards