The Contribution
The extraordinary contribution I saw made was a very thorough investigation of a transportation safety issue that impacted multiple customers. This individual has extensive experience in rail and truck investigations but stepped outside of his comfort zone to investigate packaging and executed flawlessly.
The Context
The extraordinary contribution I saw made was by our transportation safety coordinator, Nick. We had experienced a rash of customer complaints related to bagged and palletized product in Latin America which required a very thorough investigation from a dedicated team. Nick did not previously have experience in packaging and led our investigation team in a very thorough and concentrated manner over the course of six months. This included site and off-site visits to third parties, communications with pallet and bag vendors, and communications to both executives and customers on findings. Nick became an expert in packaging to help us achieve our goals of providing quality packaged products around the world.
Your Recognition of the Contribution
Our investigation has just concluded at the end of May, but I have not recognized Nick for his contribution other than verbally in front of the team. Amongst our leadership group, both his leader and I have acknowledged his phenomenal work product and efforts, especially as this was not an area of expertise initially. Because of the hierarchy in which we operate, I will ensure that he is properly rewarded financially for his excellent effort in this investigation.
If You Were the Leader – Recognition of The Contribution
If I were the leader of the organization, I would have chosen one of the following methods to recognize the contribution:
One way I could have recognized the contribution would be to have made a more publicly broad statement praising Nick’s efforts. This approach could have had a significant positive impact on him, as he does have a very niche role that is very important to the organization. By continuously rewarding Nick, we ensure that the broader team benefits by enhancing his sense of empowerment and initiative. 
Another way I could have recognized the contribution would be to have gone directly to his leader and initiated financial compensation. Everyone appreciates extra cash, and the effort was warranted in this case. The investigation took a substantial amount of time including meetings, site visits, travel, etc. that was unplanned. This investigation was also incredibly important to our customers, and by completing it in a thorough and timely manner helped to maintain strong relationships in the face of challenge.
A final way I could have recognized the contribution would be to have a direct conversation with him regarding his efforts. I have not spoken one on one with him on the topic and how great of a job he did. I have not done this as I felt there could potentially be a layer of awkwardness as I am not his peer, but he may appreciate the gesture as someone directly involved in the issue at hand.