On teams, it’s not uncommon for individuals to overlook those with whom they work each and every day. As the saying goes: “familiarity breeds complacency!”
And now there is clear evidence that the expression of appreciation improves employee retention rates. According to employee retention expert Leigh Branham, 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.
This is especially true in the nonprofit world where financial rewards for results are limited and work can be overwhelming. In this realm, the demands to raise more money are never-ending, and while donors are usually thanked for their generosity, the work of the nonprofit professionals is often overlooked. Creating an environment of appreciation and gratitude that recognizes professionals for the good work they do goes a long way to improving retention rates. We call this “Leading with Appreciation.”
Creating such a culture seems simple enough, but it is not easy. Especially when we get caught up in the day-to-day frenzy of getting things done. If you’re interested in strengthening this capacity in your own organization, I have a couple of suggestions.
The first has to do with 1:1 meetings. No matter your position or role, I recommend that from time-to-time you pause and notice what you appreciate about the other person with whom you are meeting. Not what they DO, but who they ARE. Then, open your mouth and say one of the following phrases:
“What I love about you is…” [example: “What I love about you is your curiosity”]
“You are…” [example: “You are so patient”]
“What I appreciate about you is…” [example: “What I appreciate about you is your candor.”]
“I want to acknowledge…” [example: “I want to acknowledge your perseverance.”]
The second suggestion has to do with practicing the art of appreciation and acknowledgment in a group or team setting. Using one of the statements above, you can play what is called “the appreciation game” in a meeting. The way this game is played is that one person starts by saying: “Joe, what I appreciate about you is….”. Joe then says, “thank you.” Then Joe turns to someone else in the room and says: “Karen, what I love about you is…”. Karen then says, “thank you.” The game is played by until each person in the room has given and received at least one acknowledgment.
Recently, a diverse group of nonprofit leaders played this game together in our online Coaching Essentials course. It worked like a charm, even though many of these folks had only recently come to know and interact with each other.
I encourage you to practice the exercises suggested in this post with teammates, family members, and friends and watch them light up. As Lynne Twist said in The Soul of Money: “What we appreciate, appreciates.”
David Langiulli is an executive coach and trainer who helps nonprofit professionals flourish and thrive. He’s co-hosting a weekend retreat in Orlando starting 29-Sept-2017 for a small group of Conscious Leaders. Call David at 415-273-9890 or email him at David@FundraisingLeadership.org to learn more.