Appreciate in '08

Last week's entry was about starting fresh in 2008, making plans and setting goals. When we got back to work this year, one of my coworkers coined the term "Great in '08", which quickly became our company New Year's resolution. A term to motivate us to move forward bigger and better than last year. As the days went on, we all decided to come up with our own resolutions, which has given me an idea for my January entries. Each week, I will address a new resolution, starting with Appreciate in '08, my own resolution, and moving on from there...

"The deepest principle in human nature is the craving to be appreciated." ~ William James

I wanted to start the January entries with appreciation as I truly feel that it is a core component of any great success. It is appreciation that can change an okay job into a great career. It's what motivates people to continue going strong, to internalize what they do, and it is what helps them strive for perfection. Keep in mind, that the lack of appreciation can leave people feeling replaceable and worthless, like trained monkeys hired to do a given task and that's it. A feeling that no one should have, and a feeling that I'm sure none of us want to be responsible for giving.

So how do we show appreciation?

In grade school, we had charts with gold stars, at summer camp, there were best camper awards, in sports we have MVPs, so what can we do for business? Lot's of companies have employee of the month programs, where you get a picture put up on a "Wall of Fame" for everyone to admire, or they offer some type of monetary compensation or perk. So is it simply a matter of stickers, charts, and awards? Is that what appreciation is all about? Is that what it comes down to?

While I would never say no to a little bit of extra money, I think appreciation is a lot deeper than that. Appreciation can be as simple as a smile, a pat on the back, an inquiry of your opinion, a vocalization of a job well done. It is that little act of acknowledgment, that what you've just accomplished is something great, that we couldn't have done it without you. Appreciation is a gift, a feeling that you give someone, and when done correctly, it's value can far surpass any award, rather, true appreciation is priceless.

So what's stopping us? If the act of appreciation can be so simple, why does it not occur more often?

I think the biggest stumbling block on the road to appreciation is the lack of education. The lack of understanding of what the people around us do, the role they play, the piece of the puzzle that they fill. Too many of us believe in the Staples(R) Easy Button, where things just happen, seemingly on their own, without any outside involvement. In our ever expanding and rapidly moving lives, we've begun to lose concern for the "how" and tend to be more focused on the end product. I think that this is a particular reality in the world of technology, where there simply isn't enough of an understanding on how things work, or the various pieces that need to come together to deliver a truly great result.

So how do we educate?

Like many of my other blog entries, it all comes down to communication. Talking to your clients, your coworkers, your managers, letting people know what you do and what's involved. As a Project Manager, I often find myself explaining what project management is all about, what I do and why my role is required as part of a project life cycle. What I've discovered, is that when everything goes smoothly the roles that people play are more and more hidden. It's only when things start to fall apart that we begin to look at all of the people involved, so that we can pinpoint where things went wrong. This is a very bad mindset to fall into and it is appreciation that can pull us out.

So we've learnt the importance of appreciation, we've seen how easy it can be accomplished, and we've learnt about the stumbling blocks that tend to interfere. So remember keep your eyes open, look around, there is always someone you can appreciate, you just need to be open to it and know how.

"There is more hunger for love and appreciation in this world than for bread." ~ Mother Teresa

I Couldn't Have Said It Better Myself, Oh Wait I Did

Have you ever sat in a meeting and heard someone say something you said as if it was their own idea? Or have you ever watched someone else get credit for your hardwork? While most of us have probably had this occur at some point, how many of us actually do something about it? How many of us stand up and say something? Or take action so that it doesn't occur again? Today's blog is about making your voice heard, whoever you are, wherever you are.

So what can we do?

Documentation, Documentation, Documentation
As mentioned in some of my previous entries, documentation is incredibly important to the success of your professional career. What documentation does is put a stake in the ground, it creates a record, an account of your activity, your thoughts, your ideas in a form that can be retrieved and undisputed at a later date. While documentation does not provide any guarantees, it does allow you to depend on something more than memory and hearsay.

Say It Loud, Say It Proud
We all have a voice, so why not let people hear it? Whether you are the CEO or the summer intern, we all have our own unique experiences and knowledge to bring. Sharing your ideas is what distinguishes you from everyone else, its what sets you apart. On the flip side, asking someone for their opinion is probably one of the greatest gifts you can give them, it shows that you value them and what they can bring to the table. As Winston Churchill said, "No idea is so outlandish that it should not be considered."

Do Onto Others, As You Would Have Them Do Onto You
This final concept is something that I like to practice in my own life and it is about treating people the way that I would want to be treated. In reference to the subject of this blog, just as I would want to be valued and credited for my thoughts and contributions, so too, I try and make sure that I always appreciate everyone around me. Whether you stayed late, came up with a solution, reviewed my work...if you were involved in any way, I try and make sure that not only you, but that everyone involved, knows.

This blog discusses the concept of intellectual property and ensuring that your contributions are noticed and in turn that you notice the contribution of others. The importance of this concept is incredibly significant. Recognition, if done correctly results in a sense of appreciation and self worth, while lack of acknowledgment can lead to low self-esteem and accelerated employee turnover. As we move into 2008, my resolution is to neither fear nor apologize for who I am, to be true to myself. After reading through this entry, my hope is that we can all recognize our own self worth and the value that we can bring to the table.

"If you do not express your own original ideas, if you do not listen to your own being, you will have betrayed yourself." ~ Rollo May