People Want to Feel Appreciated

One of our Impact Performance Group entities recently hit a huge milestone, which called for a unique and special celebration. So, on Wednesday of last week, another leader and I spent the day making surprise visits to all the teammates involved to recognize their accomplishment. We laughed, gave high fives, reminisced, cried, hugged, handed out t-shirts to mark the occasion, and those who know me well will know that I couldn’t let the milestone pass without sharing a fun and silly poem that I wrote myself for that exact occasion!

As we visited each team, we were repeatedly thanked for recognizing their work. Our teammates appreciated being appreciated! But doesn’t everyone?

In the hustle and bustle and rush and stress of our daily work lives, we can easily forget to share and demonstrate our appreciation for our teams. However, it is vital that we recognize our teammates’ great work and take the time to celebrate their accomplishments.

Here are a few ways to show appreciation to your team:

  • Celebrate the small achievements. When we’re working on big projects, it’s important to take a moment and recognize the smaller milestones we accomplish along the way.
  • When you see someone doing something right, point it out and acknowledge it just as you would point it out if they were doing something wrong.
  • Say thank you sincerely and often.
  • Surprise!!! There’s nothing better than a surprise note or cash or lunch catered in.

Recognition and celebrations don’t have to be big, costly events. The point isn’t the reward (although that’s nice). The point is that the team knows you noticed! So open your eyes and notice the accomplishment others are making. You can accomplish this through a stand up meeting, a team email, a hand-written note, a one-on-one conversation, or even a personalized poem! When our people receive recognition and feel appreciated and noticed, they are encouraged to continue to strive for more accomplishments in the future.


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