I used to make jokes about “bankers’ hours,” meaning the people who got in early, worked hard, and left at a normal time to go play sports. I had it backward. The ones I was praising for staying late were often showing up three hours later, working with less focus, and getting less done. They inspired no one. Meanwhile, my most productive people, the ones actually moving the business forward, got a lot less of my attention.
That’s the trap. It’s not that leaders don’t care about their best people. It’s that recognition quietly drifts toward whoever is loudest, latest, or most visible, while your best performers just keep delivering, unnoticed, until they don’t.
Sitting on Good News Is as Costly as Sitting on Bad News
I’ve seen plenty of leaders react fast to bad news, but sit on great news and never leverage it or praise the people behind it. Employees who look to you for guidance and leadership get frustrated fast when you notice their work and do nothing with it. Silence reads as indifference, even when it isn’t.
Signs You’re Overlooking Your Best People
A few warning signs worth checking for in your own company:
- Your top performer hasn’t heard direct praise from you in months
- Recognition in meetings tends to go to whoever is most vocal, not most effective
- Your best people are quietly taking on less, not more
- You’d struggle to name what your top 5 employees actually need to feel valued
What Actually Earns Loyalty
Watch the results, not the clock. Some of the most productive people work fewer, more focused hours, and if the only recognition in your company goes to whoever’s still at their desk at 8pm, you’re training your best people to either burn out chasing praise or quietly disengage.
Your best employees aren’t waiting for a trophy. They’re watching whether the work actually gets seen. The moment they conclude it doesn’t, they stop bringing you their best, and not long after, they start looking elsewhere.
Bottom Line
Recognition isn’t a nice-to-have, it’s retention strategy. If you’re not actively noticing and praising your best people, someone else will. For more on building a culture where great people stay, check out Double Double, it’s full of lessons like this one.