Well Done!

Reflecting on how much (err.. less) we appreciate people around us - Think about a situation, from the past 10 days, when you honestly appreciated some one. Not because there was a vested interest in them (read: buttering your boss), but because you genuinely felt good, remembered it, ensured letting them know and made it special for them.

Got some ideas? Let's think of a few scenarios -


I - Have you attended a training or a presentation lately? What did you do once the session was over? 
Few people, usually, sneak out for a cup of coffee and complimentary treats moments before the session ends. It gives them just enough time to pick few extra treats before every one steps out, triumphantly taking the goodies back to their work desk for later delight.

Been on the other side? If you've facilitated a session and presented to an audience of any scale, you would definitely relate to this: All the smooth talkers, charismatic presenters, seasoned trainers and outstanding orators have few qualities in common. They are well-prepared and well-planned. A good deal of labor is put in behind the curtains - right from preparing engaging presentation, crisp display material, ingenious interactive methods, anticipating interesting questions to ensuring smooth logistics. Once over, very few of us actually take the effort of saying encouraging golden words - 'Well done'. Isn't it?

Few years ago, one of the partners in my organisation shared that he makes (still does) a quick note of one thing that he finds most impactful in a session, anything from a succinct slide to a question well answered, and later sends a note of appreciation (read: email/voice mail) to presenter mentioning the specific point and acknowledging the effort invested. Oh what joy! A small gesture that definitely goes a long way. I received one of his notes few months later and couldn't stop grinning ear-to-ear.

+Anecdote: Power of old and ordinary SMS:
Year 2015: After an extremely long day at work, I received a text from my boss who was based in US while I was working from offshore. Instant thought on receiving the text (4 a.m.), "Who sends an SMS now days?" followed by "Now what? I need rest before I can dig my eyes into this laptop again. Ughhh".
The text read, "Thanks for sticking around with the team. Appreciate it. Take care."
I definitely slept with a big smile that night.

It's quite easy to breeze through and overlook small yet significant gestures of people, considering we are living a lightning-fast paced pillar-to-post lifestyle - or so may I say - too busy making a living.

II - Received a message from your parents? 
I'm sure by now your parents must have learnt using basic functions of a smart phones/tablet and explored many features on their own such as sharing photographs, commenting on social media sites, forwarding jokes, etc. Amazing isn't it? When was the last time you called your Mum & Dad and expressed how proud you are, the admiration you have for not being afraid of learning new things and the curiosity they have developed for technology?

Has it been a while? Grab your phone and call them right away!

+Anecdote:Selfie Time:
My Mum called me this morning inquiring about steps to click a 'Selfie'. She was audibly disappointed on knowing that her phone does not have a front camera. Honestly, I wasn't expecting this question this soon from her! Nevertheless, I suggested two options - Either I can gift her a new phone or send a Selfie stick for the time being.
Well, no points guessing, she said 'No' to both and quipped jovially, 'Itne paise hain to cash hi bhej de'. I am in total awe of her. Love you Mommy.

More to follow...