Get a Life!: Hey, thanks

Expressing appreciation is probably the most underrated management tool. Instead, employees most often hear about what went wrong or what could be better.

Managers don't have to wait until performance rating time to let people know the positive impact they have on the work of an organization. CIO Insider recently gave some examples of ways to use the power of appreciation to motivate employees and raise morale. 

• At the beginning of meetings, talk about the good stuff going on.


• Don’t wait until the end of a project to send the “great work” e-mail. 


• A physical thank you card can carry more weight than the often-used e-mails.


• Acknowledge people publicly in a group setting, making it genuine and specific by looking directly at them. 


• Appreciate yourself and let your boss know about your successes.

A pat on the back doesn’t have to wait until everything is perfect or done exactly as we want. Just as there are good days and bad, there are always opportunities to say a kind word. That pat on the back may be especially needed on the bad days.

Experts say that if more people in an organization paid attention to their positive thoughts and feelings, the culture of the organization would change in a positive way.

How often do you hear thanks or something positive where you work?

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