What do you think attracts people to you or your organization?
Some may be attracted by money, some by position, some by authority and so on. Others may be drawn in by your magnetic charisma or by some common ground you have found.
No matter what attracts people in, it all loses it’s luster and shine without the feeling of being valued. Your job as a leader is multi-faceted for sure, and you are very busy. As we become super busy with the urgent and important, we forget to utilize one of the most effective tools every leader has, the power of appreciation. We can’t afford to allow people to become distant, faceless or nameless cogs in our machine wheels.
We should be using the power of appreciation to inspire and empower the people all around us. We can activate this power by having a high awareness of what makes people unique and valuable. This ingredient is essential to true enjoyment and success in any endeavor.
Every person wants to feel their contribution is essential and important to the overall success or failure of the project or organization. Remember, feedback is the breakfast of champions. Who gets too much feedback? No one does. Not even yourself as leader gets enough. Sometimes, we don’t even value and appreciate our own contribution and results. It always starts with ourselves, only from our own abundance can we give to others.
Don’t limit the power of appreciation only to those in your organization. Very frequently, those closest to us do not get affirmed and appreciated. Make sure you designate it a priority to let those closest to you know how much your appreciate and value them.
Some ways to activate the power of appreciation:
Tell the person authentically how much their contribution means to the success or failure of your work together
Hand write a short note or thank you card and leave it for them
Send them a brief email telling them how highly you value them
Notice them and catch them in the act of making a valuable contribution and appreciate them “in the moment”
What are some other ways to show people we value and appreciate them?
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