It’s amazing the power of appreciation. The people who do it best are often times the most influential leaders. At its core, appreciation recognizes the value in another. When that recognition is achieved, a great power has been unleashed.
I saw it first-hand at an annual employee Holiday party that was celebrating the successes of the previous year. As a guest, I was immediately drawn in by the complete sense of value the owner of the business placed on each and every employee. But what really magnified that feeling of value was what happened at the end of the evening.
Each employee that attends the party has their name put in a raffle that is the grand finale to the evening. Now, it wasn’t the raffle itself that was special, but rather how the owner used it to build pride, loyalty, and enthusiasm for the company. The first few prizes that were awarded were very nice, but as the raffle progressed the owner would add more value to each prize. Take the one day of vacation that was to be raffled off. The owner decided right before the name was drawn to add another two days and make it three days of vacation. The crowd went crazy! When the winner was announced, people were clapping and high-fiving each other. A $500 gift card was then increased to $1000. Again, the employees couldn’t contain themselves. The momentum increased up to the very end when the grand prize was drawn, which was an all expense paid vacation. As you can imagine, each and every employee was bursting with excitement.
I saw the full effect of what placing value on another can do. What an incredible marketing culture to work in. The positive energy that was created that evening will no doubt carry through the new year. Each employee, regardless of their position within the company felt valued and appreciated for what they do each and every day. Their response to their employer was obvious. They would follow him anywhere, do what it takes to get the job done, and make each customer 100% happy.
Make it a priority to show others the value you place in them. You do not need to be the owner of a company to do that.
Keep it personal.