I ran into a friend of mine at a conference the other day. I was surprised to see her since I know that she works grueling hours as an art director. And, the impression that I’d gotten of the ad agency she works for left me with the feeling that they probably wouldn’t support a day of education out of the office.
Often the best advice is the simplest advice. The problem with simple advice is that people don’t take it because it seems so, well, simple. My experience tells me that simple can be very effective when done over and over again. A simple way to motivate, inspire and lead smarter is to increase your output of gratitude, thank-you’s and praise.
In my leadership training I speak a lot about raising the “Positivity Ratio” at work and letting people know we appreciate them.
Today here are some of my simple thoughts on thank you’s, gratitude and praise.
I have this ritual. Before I write a program for a client, I review my notes (I take lots), my impressions (those instant intuitive flashes that come while I’m taking notes) grab a stack of index cards to tuck into my fanny pack and head for a walk on the beach. Sometimes I play music, sometimes not.
By the time the walk is over I have an overall context of what I want to present and usually what my key purpose with that client is. Along with that kind of eagle eye view I also come home with ideas of what books I might need to take off my shelves for inspiration and wisdom.
Creating a happy work experience starts on the inside too. Inside you. I’m hoping that your boss is enlightened, and that the company you work for has a clearly articulated and embodied mission and purpose in the world that you get behind with passion. I’m hoping that your boss (or your brain, if you…
You might remember from my last tip that when I saw the article called “Why You Hate Work” recently in the business section of the Sunday Times I felt the need to write about it and share my thoughts. If you haven’t read Part 1 of this topic yet, you may want to take a…
When I saw the business section of the Sunday Times last week I got that crazy kind of excited I get when I see an article book or blog that supports all the yak-yak-yakking I do about creating happier workplaces and happier customers. The first line of the article called “Why You Hate Work” began…
So we are coming to the end of our relationship formula: T.R.A.C.K. If you have been following along, you’ve learned about Trust, Respect, Appreciation, and open and honest Communication without blame or judgment – all traits practiced by Positive Leaders.(Click the back button on your screen and you can scroll back through those traits.)…
If you have been following along with our Relationship MiniSeries you’ve been down the TRACK with us from Trust and Respect to Appreciation and today to Communication. Oh – such a big topic to handle in such a small space. Well done communication energizes, informs, and enlivens people. Communication (verbal and non-verbal) is what creates…
The great American psychologist William James once said that the greatest of human needs is the need for appreciation. Wow, he was right on track with that one! Whether we’re talking about personal relationships or business relationships, we all crave appreciation. We all want to know we are valued. We all want to know…
“Respect” comes up in every discussion I have with clients when we explore relationship essentials. It’s a quality we’re all looking for, yet from time to time we can all fall short of actually giving it to others.
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