Recognition Fuels Endurance: Are You Nourishing Your Team?

Endurance in high-growth teams isn’t just about drive — it’s about sustaining energy. Recognition makes that possible.

“Anyone can set the pace. Few leaders make sure the team still wants to keep running.”

— Igor Gorlatov

Every team has its mile 20 — the point where adrenaline fades, muscles ache, and the goal still feels far off. Without recognition, that’s where people hit the wall. They start asking: Does it matter if I keep going?

Some keep running, others drift back, like cyclists pulling out of the wind after too many miles leading the pack alone. But unlike in racing, there’s no one waiting to pull them forward. No draft. Just more headwind.

And eventually, some drop out entirely. They hit the deadline — but the heart’s no longer in it.

That quiet disengagement? It’s often the result of simple moments missed — moments when recognition could’ve stepped in. Here are five small, powerful ways leaders can keep the energy flowing:

1.    Call out great work in the moment. A short, specific comment often lands deeper than delayed praise.

2.    Start meetings with a quick spotlight. Highlight a customer thank-you, peer shout-out, or small win.

3.    Leave the inbox. Take the long way. Ask what people are proud of this week — casually, in passing.

4.    Pass the praise — by name. When you hear about great work, share it intentionally and out loud.

5.    Celebrate what matters, when it happens. Mark milestones, model behaviors, and make it a team habit.

If recognition is so powerful — and so doable — why do even high-performing teams still burn out?

Because surface-level praise isn’t enough.

Recognition only sticks when people have space to breathe, work that matters, and leaders who follow through — when there’s room to recover between sprints, not just race to the next.

It’s not just about acknowledging what was done. It’s about seeing what it took — the late nights, the tough calls, the emotional weight, the personal stretch.

People don’t want applause. They want to feel understood. To know their effort connects to something real.

You can’t demand endurance. You cultivate it — with care, with presence, and with recognition that lands where it counts.

That’s what fuels endurance — not pressure, but being treated like a human, not a machine.