Appreciation Is Fuel

How often are you running on empty at work?

It could be physically, mentally, emotionally, etc.

Part of a leader’s job is to monitor the energy level of their people.

Don’t guess, just ask them.

Servant leadership comes down to one thing.

Take care of your people and your people will take care of your customers.

Although a slightly different context, this past week I led a team at our church’s Vacation Bible School.

It was nostalgic because it reminded me of my college years volunteering to help at children’s programs.

I was in charge of a team of 10 who kept the bathrooms safe during the week.

It wasn’t glamorous work, but I emphasized to the team how important it is to parents to feel their kids are safe.

That week I took my own advice.

• I introduced myself, got their contact information, ran daily meetings and sent group text updates throughout the day.

• For added motivation, I brought snacks, made sure I checked on them hourly and asked for feedback concerning improvements that can be made.

Everything I did was based on making them feel appreciated.

At the end of the week I gave them surveys.

Based on their responses they felt valued.

I don’t share this story to bring glory to myself.

Instead I use it as an illustration of how powerful making people feel appreciated can be.

You don’t need to be a content expert, have years of experience or an impressive resume to lead a team.

What matters is if you care about people and show them through action.

I see too many people stressed out, overworked and disgruntled at work.

At times the workload may be inevitable, but remember 70% of people leave their job because of a poor manager.

I guarantee almost 100% of those former employees leave because they don’t feel appreciated.

Of course it takes more to manage people than just saying thank you, but so often leaders don’t do it consistently.

What’s helped me is recognizing without the help of my team I can’t accomplish much.

Leaders need their people more than their people need them.

So don’t forget to thank your people frequently.

It could be the difference between being energized or burnt out.

If you need practical ways to show appreciation to your team reply to this email and let’s discuss cost-efficient options.

God Bless,

Scott

P.S. Can your team use some upskilling with soft skills? Watch the video below and contact me.