The Power of Appreciation

Posted on August 20, 2019 by Jenna Kellerman

The power of positive thinking! Mike Robbins, author of Focus on the Good Stuff: The Power of Appreciation, says positive acknowledgement is “a crucial aspect of our being able to celebrate, appreciate, and express gratitude for the people around us.” He offers five ways to positively acknowledge others:  

1. Look for the good stuff and expect it in others
2. Be genuine and speak from your heart
3. Thank people in a personal way
4. Praise people and let them know their positive impact on you
5. Acknowledge people for no apparent reason

Consistent positive practices can help build a culture of caring and respect in your organization. How can you build positivity into your everyday interactions?

• Start meetings with a shout out. Each person in the meeting takes a moment to share a specific “thank you” or a compliment about a colleague.
• Provide staff with an opportunity to leave handwritten thank you notes for one another in a mail box or publicly posted on a bulletin board.
• Launch a web-based platform for staff to compliment one another. Knute Nelson in Alexandria, for example, launched an intranet that allowed staff to give one another electronic “High Fives,” which launched with great success.
• Lead by example. Spend time each day being present with your team and offering words of appreciation. Be sure to give credit back to teams as they accomplish their goals.
• Involve your residents and clients in the mission of appreciation! Consider involving your residents or clients in writing thank you notes, assembling small gifts, or planning appreciation events.

Get more information in the Workforce Center. Questions? Contact Jenna Kellerman at jkellerman@leadingagemn.org.