A Job Well Done

We all work hard, probably to the best of our abilities, at everything. But in every race, we are one in many, and it is very easy for our efforts to go unnoticed, unacknowledged, or even unappreciated.

It is way easier to get de-motivated in this race of life, than to stay motivated; especially when the results are barely obvious. At such times, when the zing is out, it’s miraculous how a few words of appreciation or just acknowledgement can bring a new life into whatever it is we have to achieve.

Even a ‘That was real good’, or ‘It’s nice of you to even have taken that up!’ can do wonders. Appreciating someone’s efforts is not about being a saint, it is more about being political and making sure the person stays motivated and keeps doing good in future. It’s about mastering the skill of making a few kind words go a really long way to your own advantage.

We can, and should, use the art of saying kudos in both our professional and personal lives. Ofcourse, appreciation has to be heartfelt, or it derides itself into flattery. It also has to be well-expressed, or it leaves the receiver confused about the motive.

Which brings me to the subject of appreciation at work (mostly a people manager’s domain, atleast in the environment where I work). Most of them are articulate and take a few moments out to genuinely convey the ‘You’re doing good and I thank you for your efforts’ message. But then there are others that absolutely suck at it. If you are just going to write/say a much delayed (and hence ill-timed) ‘That’s great’, you’d rather just skip the whole exercise.

Let me explain why I think these people suck at it. Either they are completely ignorant on the subject of human psychology (and hence fail to appreciate the value add a few extra minutes into an appreciation mail/discussion can bring), or they are really bad at expressing themselves.

Which brings me to yet another rambling. Although unrelated to ‘appreciation at work’, it still has a strong bearing on providing positive feedback in a more effective way. For the category that really sucks at providing effective appreciation, because they are really bad at expressing themselves, I can’t help but wonder (and I know this is devilish thinking, so forgive me Lord): Are these men as bland and ineffective at expressing themselves in bed? Aaarrgghhh! Scary thought.

Imagine one such manager’s wife/girlfriend doing a really good ‘job’ for him, and he summing up all her effort by a ‘That’s great’. Blah-Zey!! He can as well draw a curtain on any future hope of any job getting done thereon, let alone a good one!

If you show someone you believe in him, it gives him renewed energy to believe in himself, and then there is no mountain too high to climb. What’s more, it’s to everyone’s benefit; there are no losers in this game. The easiest way to lose the special people in your life and workforce is to not let them know that they are special, at the right time, in the right way.

Tell someone deserving today about how much you appreciate what they are doing for you. Let it be genuine and carefully expressed. Get creative if that works for you. It could even be a pat on your own back if you think you deserve it. If it does not give you positive results, you can blame me in the comments section! Good Luck.