“What you appreciate, appreciates”–Lynne Twist, The Soul of Money.
Appreciation. What is it? The definition of which I am most fond is: “the recognition and enjoyment of the good qualities of someone or something.”
While I appreciate many people, places, and things in my life, I find that it’s easy to take for granted the small blessings–like a bowl of yogurt and granola with a good cup of coffee in the morning. Similarly, as leaders, it is common and ordinary to overlook those with whom we work each and every day. As the saying goes: “familiarity breeds complacency!”
When I led a team at Princeton, I was aware that the practice of expressing appreciation (and it is a practice) with members of the team was a growth edge for me. While I attribute my limitations in this area of leadership to my Stoic upbringing, I recognized the impact it was having on the team and I made a conscious effort to improve. I made some progress, and I know there’s still room to grow. So I continue to practice with my leadership tribemates, friends, family, and clients. On the family front, I can share with you that I hug my wife and daughters each and every morning when I am home to express my love and appreciation for them. It’s a daily practice that I wholeheartedly recommend. On other fronts, I do my best to express gratitude as frequently as possible.
In the context of management and leadership, there is clear evidence that expressing appreciation improves employee retention rates. According to employee retention expert LeighBranham, author of The 7 Hidden Reasons Employees Leave: How to Recognize the Subtle Signs and Act Before It’s Too Late, one of the top reasons someone leaves an organization is because s/he feels unrecognized. Nonprofit work can be stressful and thankless at times. The demands to raise more money are never-ending, and while donors are thanked for their generosity, the work of the non-profit professionals is often overlooked. Creating an environment of appreciation, recognition, and gratitude that helps professionals feel good about the work they are doing goes a long way to improving retention rates.
And, there’s one final piece for which I’d like to return to Lynne Twist. Lynne suggests that we can develop a powerful, intentional practice of self-appreciation by paying deliberate attention to not only to what we do and have but also to the good that we are. In this way, we may enlarge and enrich our own experience, and that of those with whom we interact.