Make a difference – sounds simple enough, doesn’t it? But to whom and how?
John was one of those people who made a difference. He watched one of his employees on the bottling line and realized his strengths. He offered him a new role and after many conversations it was accepted and this young man went on to be very successful in his field.
And Tamara who, at a moment’s notice supports those who are suffering with the pain of feeling “not enough”. She sees this come out in so many ways: anger, frustration, attacks, drinking, drugging and she steps in to listen, to care. She knows it is not always necessary to provide answers; sometimes all that’s needed is an ear to listen.
Christina ensures her staff always feel supported. They always hear, “Well done! That was a great job! You did well on …!” She ensures she spends time each day passing out kudos along with the tougher conversations when helping people be better at their jobs.
What are you doing to show you care?
- Reach out to help someone who seems to be overwhelmed with their workload
- Provide a compliment about the quality of work
- Hectic week – bring in pizza for everyone on Friday as a “thank you” for the effort put in throughout the week
- Give out “Atta Girl” or “Atta Boy” notes (you can get them free from us at sherry@dimension11.com)
- Send a card to the home of a friend or employee complimenting the individual so the whole family can celebrate
- Have a party to celebrate someone’s success – a potluck, sweets, appetizers – it doesn’t matter what, just that it’s a celebration
Each day, people need to feel they are an integral part of the team, the community, the family. That way you can ensure they want to stay with your organization and … surprise, surprise … most of us will work harder for our employer, our family and our friends when we feel cared for.
So many employers provide kudos during the performance management process and for most, that’s once a year. Can you imagine saying “I love you” to your kid or your spouse once a year? Of course not! So why do we think it might be okay to only provide a performance management process once a year – this should be an ongoing process – a daily occurrence. Give out the kudo’s and help people be better by showing them better ways to do things.
Prince Harry and Ed Sheeran celebrate World Mental Health Day by creating a video to remind people to reach out to those who suffer from mental health issues. Their mantra: “look out for anybody that might be suffering in silence.” Everyone suffers at times although not everyone is able to reach out and ask for help. Step in, ask how you can assist.
Remember, we all want to make a difference. Once we recognize this, we may begin to watch more carefully and reach out to help others. It only takes a moment to make someone feel good! And, it makes you feel good too!
Sherry’s CORNER
It’s Thanksgiving weekend in Canada – a time to remember what we are thankful for. It’s a fun weekend – we have had the chance to spend time with my sister and her family and one of our daughters. How thankful I am to be able to spend time with these loved ones that we rarely get to see face-to-face.
A beautiful meal prepared by our son-in-law, a time to read with one of my great nephews, preparing some of the Thanksgiving meal with my sister. Small blessings in a hectic world. It’s wonderful to share the time and yet so empowering to know we are all together regardless of the miles between us.
What are you thankful for this Thanksgiving weekend? I would love to hear what is happening in your life that makes you feel blessed.
Just email me at sherry@dimension11.com.
