Insights on Behavior #30: I Get Personally Involved in Recognizing People and Celebrating Accomplishments
I absolutely LOVE this quote…
“Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.”
—Author Leo Buscaglia
Do you remember the last time someone truly appreciated you? You felt great inside, right? Made your day? Did you go home and tell someone about it?
How about the last time you told someone how much you appreciated them and their contributions to the work you do. That feels pretty good, too! How do you think that made the other person feel? Did you see a change in his/her behavior after giving appreciation?
As a leader, expressing gratitude and celebrating achievements is one task you simply cannot delegate.
Showing appreciation doesn’t mean it has to be all bells and whistles. Public displays of gratitude are not always necessary. Sometimes a simple Thank You will do. The key here is, whatever method you choose, it must come from the heart. You must be personally involved in the celebration and in recognizing people for the contributions they make.
So, your challenge as 2020 comes to a close: spend time demonstrating to others that you care and value their contributions, creating celebrations that engender a spirit of community, and making your acts of recognition both personal and meaningful. Here is a great video to get you started: The Power of Appreciation. It is a little long but well worth the watch! Before you wrap up your year, I challenge you to identify a new technique or two and try them out and then let me know how it goes! I would love to hear from you.
