This is the gift-giving season, isn’t it? It would be only routine and normal to be reflective and grateful at this time of year (really all year long). And then, there are gifts given and gifts received.
I read a story a while back about a young woman who was unfortunately blind. She was embittered by her condition and the only person she didn’t dislike was her boyfriend who was always there for her. Her constant wish was to be able to see. She told her boyfriend she would marry him if that happened. One day someone gave her a pair of eyes. Now she could see. But, (ahh the infamous but), when he asked her to marry him, she rejected him because he was blind. A few days later she got a letter from him that read “Just take care of my eyes.”
Yeah, me too.
Ok, take a swallow and take it down a notch to think about the people around you, the people you supervise. They give you a gift every day…the gift of their effort. From those of higher skills and talents, their gift may have a greater intrinsic value. From those who have lesser skills; their contributions are still fundamentally essential to your business’ success. Do you “appreciate” each gift for what it means from the one who gave it?
In the story I shared, the woman cast off the man. She did not appreciate his gift. In my example, in your business, you may not do the casting-off. Your employees may cast off their job because you did not appreciate them.
Ok, go forward with your eyes wide open.