Who Can You Recognize This Week? Three Ways to Communicate Gratitude.

Someone on your team is knocking it out of the park.  This employee makes your job easier.  She or he creatively identifies solutions, causes no drama, and adds significant value to the organization.   

If you're fortunate, you have more than one person like this on your team.  You have an opportunity to recognize that excellence in an authentic, intentional way.  Consider the following actions to share positive feedback: 

Open your next 1:1 meeting with gratitude.

When you get together with your employee, begin the meeting by sharing a specific example of the outstanding contribution they made.  Provide details, and highlight the employee's strengths in getting the work done.  Note the positive energy you create for the duration of the 1:1 conversation. 

Give the employee time to do something he or she loves.

Offering an employee a few hours of time back makes a huge difference in their week.  If an employee has a child starting a new school year, consider giving them an extra 1 to 2 hours of PTO the morning of the first day to make it extra special.  You can also give an employee an early start to the weekend by encouraging them to log off an hour early on Friday.

Send a handwritten thank you note, gift card optional.

If you do not have a pack of thank-you cards on hand, order some today.  I can attest to the power of receiving handwritten notes and still have several from all stages of my career. For remote employees, receiving a card in the mail with kudos from you will brghten someone's day.  Become known as a leader who sends handwritten thank you notes.

When you get intentional with gratitude, you'll inspire and motivate your stellar employees to keep up the great work.  Schedule 30 minutes on your calendar weekly to determine who to recognize and how you plan to thank them.  Watch trust grow and relationships get stronger. 

Katie Stone is the founder of Together Evolving.  Email Katie at katie.stone@togetherevolving.com to learn more about the transformational impact coaching can have on you and your leadership.