“Alone we can do so little;
together we can do so much”
-
Helen Keller
On one busy day in June, when I
came back to work after a quick tea-break to resume sending mails and meeting
deadlines as usual, I found that someone had kept a box of cheesecake and a
flower along with a note on my desk. The note just said, “Because you had such
an exhausting day”.
You plant a seed. You water that
seed, sometimes a little less, sometimes a little too much and sometimes just
right. And then slowly, when you see a tiny, delicate green shoot rising
towards sunshine, you know that you have done your part. This is exactly how it
works in leadership. You give out as much as you can, and then they give back
to others and to you in unimaginable ways. When I was first appointed as the
manager of my team, I wasn’t sure if I would be able to motivate my teammates
enough to keep up their good work.
But soon, I realized that there are little
ways to show appreciation that go a long way in making team members feel
visible and heard and that automatically improves their performance. Whenever a
teammate would successfully complete a difficult task, come up with a great
idea or carry out an act of kindness, I would leave them a note with a few
encouraging words and maybe a bar of chocolate. Their faces would light up,
even if for a moment, as they would realize that their positive actions are
being seen and appreciated.
As I ate my cheesecake and
re-read the note that day, it warmed up my heart. It didn’t matter anymore who
decided to cheer me up, all I could think of was that my little ways of showing
appreciation had inspired my team to spread this vibe of positivity and
gratitude all around. Soon, other teams followed suit and right now, our entire
space is filled will a display of notes and doodles of appreciation from each
other. Inspired by this culture, some members of other teams have also started
this practice of cheering and motivating each other by exchanging notes and
pictures. The creative energy of many individuals that stay hidden in an
otherwise formal office environment have come to light and frankly, it’s
infectious!
It’s amazing how motivation
starts with a little seed, but if taken care of, can bloom into a bright,
beautiful garden.
- Sanchari (Creative Team-lead)
Like what you read?
Learn how you can carve your own
leadership style and build a strong team with some smidgens of motivation here!
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