The 12 Days of Appreciation
by Marguerite Ham
I was recently reading the Simple Abundance, A Daybook of Comfort and Joy, by Sarah Ban Breathnach. This book is a wonderful compilation of essays that stimulate reflection on how we are living or not living our lives with intention and appreciation for those most dear to us. I highly recommend it.
There is a great quote by Aristotle: “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then, is not an act, but a habit.”
As leaders, there is one thing we must repeatedly do for our staff members, appreciate them, love them, let them know we care! Unfortunately, in our society of always onto next and busy being busy, this important way of being for a leader can fall to the bottom of the list or get lost in the chaos of the day to day whirlwind of work. It is, however, one of the most important habits for a leader in order for people to feel valued and want to stay with you and the organization and serve the customers.
“Employees who believe that management is concerned about them as a whole person – not just an employee – are more productive, more satisfied, more fulfilled. Satisfied employees mean satisfied customers, which leads to profitability.”
Anne M. Mulcahy
Here are 12 ways of letting your staff members know you care:
On the first day of Christmas, I gave to my valued staff:
The gift of my Undivided Attention
On the second day of Christmas, I gave to my valued staff:
The gift of Enthusiasm
On the third day of Christmas, I gave to my valued staff:
The gift of Creative Energy
On the fourth day of Christmas, I gave to my valued staff:
The gift of Spending Time Together, outside of work
On the fifth day of Christmas, I gave to my valued staff:
The gift of Support
On the sixth day of Christmas, I gave to my valued staff:
The gift of Empowerment
On the seventh day of Christmas, I gave to my valued staff:
The gift of Heartfelt Appreciation
On the eight day of Christmas, I gave my valued staff:
The gift of Communication
On the ninth day of Christmas, I gave to my valued staff:
The gift of Positivity
On the tenth day of Christmas, I gave to my valued staff:
The gift of Creative Energy
On the eleventh day of Christmas, I gave to my valued staff:
The gift of Vision and Focus
On the twelfth day of Christmas, I gave to my valued staff:
The gift of a Smile and Joy
Here is a related Harvard Business Review article, “Why People Really Quit their Jobs”. Make it a habit to give those you care about and value the simple gifts of love and care. If you do, you have a much better chance of retaining great people for your organization.