Promoting Gratitude: Unveiling Its Impact on Enhancing Business Environment
"Hey there, I'm a big fan of Ronica Roth, the co-founder and principal at The Welcome Elephant. She's all about helping leaders transform their results and culture through the power of everyday meetings.
In a recent conversation, Ronica commended Jean for proactively reaching out to their new boss to clarify the value their team delivers. She acknowledged that this transition period can be challenging and intimidating.
Ronica's sentiment aligned with her mentor, Jean Tabaka's teachings about the power of appreciation. According to Jean, an appreciation goes beyond a simple "thanks." It's a thoughtful and specific expression of gratitude that recognizes a person's specific action that reflects the company's values and desired culture.
For instance, instead of saying "Great job, team," Ronica might say, "I appreciate Mary for dropping everything to get customer answers so quickly. This shows our commitment to being a customer-service-centered company, which prioritizes responsiveness to customer needs."
When expressing appreciation, it's important to allow only a simple response like "thank you." This prevents deflection and ensures the appreciation has its full impact, making the recipient feel good and providing clarity to everyone else.
Appreciations are a powerful tool for storytelling and making company values tangible. They can help encourage behaviors that drive organizational culture change, like improving teamwork or boosting morale.
In one scenario, a remote team leader used appreciations to boost morale and foster connection. The leader nominated people for using their cameras in video meetings to promote engagement, using light-hearted comments like, "I appreciate you, Sue, for showcasing your passion for Initiative X."
This simple practice encouraged openness, collaboration, and improved communication within the team.
When appreciation becomes a regular practice in an organization, it sends clear messages about desired behaviors and rewards employees for engaging in them. This creates a positive work environment that fosters engagement, trust, and continuous improvement.
So, how about you? What behavior will you appreciate today?"
Enrichment Data Integration:
Regular recognition and appreciation can significantly impact organizational culture and team morale. It creates a culture where employees feel valued, boosts morale, strengthens team bonds, and promotes continuous improvement. Here are some practical strategies to integrate appreciation into your organization:
- Use genuine gestures like handwritten notes or sharing meals to show appreciation.
- Utilize digital platforms to streamline recognition efforts and make it a regular practice.
- Encourage peer-to-peer recognition through shared kudos boards or regular check-in sessions.
By incorporating these strategies, you can foster a positive and resilient work environment that encourages engagement, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
- Ronica Roth, inspired by Jean Tabaka's teachings, often highlights the importance of specific and thoughtful expressions of gratitude in her mentorship.
- In order to boost morale and improve teamwork, a team leader started using appreciations in their video meetings, acknowledging team members who used their cameras.
- Regularly incorporating appreciation into an organization, as suggested by the enrichment data integration, can lead to a culture that values employees, fosters trust, and encourages continuous improvement, much like Ronica Roth's company The Welcome Elephant.
