Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Share Praise and Recognition

I have been working with a young lady that is my direct interface for a major corporation out in the valley. She functions as a sales liaison for this company and has been a delight to work with. I so enjoy working with her and appreciate her efforts on my behalf that much I decided to tell her.

I took the time to make sure she knew that I considered myself extremely fortunate to be working with her and that she has become one of the main reasons building a relationship with this large corporation is appealing. I shared with her all the qualities that made her fun and easy to work with and I expressed how lucky her company is to have her working for them. As you would expect she was completely blown away by my heartfelt acknowledgment of her and her hard work. It was obvious to me that recognition and thanks was not something she often received through the partners she works with and it was long overdue.

To be clear I didn't offer her these positive strokes because I had some higher agenda. I don't work like that. I simply told her what I feel about working with her and how much her efforts on my behalf have been appreciated. Simple, straightforward, extremely real and oh so very true.

Fast forward a few months to today. I am in the process of pitching a significant proposal that could significantly impact the future of one of my business interests. The plan is bold. The plan is daring. The plan ultimately is a direction I don't think the company had even considered.

It requires buy in from those people at the highest levels of the company. People I have yet to gain official access to - or even know are part of the decision tree. Yet doors are opening up to me. Meetings are being held about what it is I want to do. Things are progressing and when you step up to the plate at this level, that's all you can hope for.

In the end I know who's embraced this proposal the most. I know who is in the trenches fighting to gain me the audiences that I most need to have. I can feel the momentum being created by someone who has become my internal champion. She's battling to get the proposal the exposure and consideration it will need if it is to go anywhere. Progress is being made and I am quite sure it would never have happened if not for this young lady.

Where might I be today if I hadn't shared how much I appreciated and admired her?

Who right now in your world holds the keys to the kingdom that you aren't recognizing or appreciating?

Maybe it's time you opened your mouth and said something. Who knows where those Ripples might lead you.

Ripple On!!!

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Steve,

You bring up a great point here. It costs us nothing to share our appreciation with people, but sometimes the benefits that arise from that are great. That's not a reason to do it, but as they say, you get what you give.

I spent two weeks at a hotel for the start of August. While the entire staff did a great job, two of them went above and beyond what normally would be required of their positions. I sent an email to their manager letting him know how blessed he was to have these staff members. He shared that with his entire team. I may have to stay in this hotel again, so I expect that when I check in people will remember that I am not afraid to praise publicly.

Praise in public, councel in private. Shout warm fuzzies, whisper cold pricklies.

We're all in this game of life together, why not make it joyful for as many as we can.

Ripple On!

Kevin

Steve Harper said...

Great comment Kevin. How many people would take the time to do what you did. I just hope that that manager uses it not only as a show and tell kind of thing but as a way to motivate the rest of his staff to strive to deliver what these two people did. I suspect that despite the great service most people would not take the time or go through the effort to insure that management knows they have outstanding people working for them.

Praise costs us nothing but a little time, a little effort and a willingness to make someone else's day.

You can't see if but I am giving you a standing ovation!

Great job my friend.

Ripple On!!!