Simple MAGIC at Work

Holidays can be magical and overwhelming at the same time.  We are supposed to enjoy the parties, the gifts, the shopping, and the general mad rush.  For most business people, the year end is very busy from a work perspective as well.  So, how can we enjoy the MAGIC of the holidays at work?Recently, I was coaching a high potential woman we will call Sally who expressed frustration at the lack of appreciation her boss showed her.  I asked her if she had ever thanked her boss for anything.  She said, “It never occurred to me as something I was SUPPOSED to be doing.”In fact, Sally is not alone.  A recent article in the WSJ "Showing Appreciation at the Office? No, Thanks" highlighted that the workplace ranks DEAD LAST among the places people express gratitude, from homes and neighborhoods to places of worship.  Only 10% of adults say thanks to a colleague every day.  Research suggests that employees who feel appreciated are more productive and loyal.  Why not use the holidays as an opportunity to spread the magic of appreciation?  The GIFT of appreciation costs so little in terms of time and energy.I shared this information about the value of appreciation with Sally.  This caused her to reflect for a moment – has my boss ever done something I could really thank him for?  She remembered a recent incident in which her boss had mentioned her name for something she had accomplished at a large meeting which was attended by senior leaders in the firm.  She realized as she was telling me the story that she had never thanked him.  Sally started to see how her perception of her boss as someone who never gave her enough appreciation clouded her ability to accurately see her boss’ actions.  This is a very common problem called stereotyping that we all experience.  Sally’s AHA momentwas that if she expanded her view of her boss as someone who does appreciate her, she might be able to notice and EXPRESS her appreciation more often.  Sally realized that a small thank you would be a simple but powerful new habit that could build a stronger connection and might lead to him sharing his appreciation to her more often.  As that simple law of behavioral psychology has taught us, what gets rewarded tends to get repeated!I am wondering what might happen if during the crazy busy holiday season, we allow ourselves to drop our heavy coats and defenses and EXPAND  our views of people who have annoyed us, wronged us, ignored us, and so on...and, instead, look for something that they do that is positive.  Could we put our EGOS aside for the holidays, and say thank you or offer a compliment? Might this time be a rare opportunity to appreciate your colleague who always helps you out?I invite all of you to spread the holiday Magic at work and you might just find that your productivity increases along with overall mood at work!