How to give thanks
As we move closer to the end of an unprecedented year, it’s essential to take the time to think about all the good things we should be grateful for in life. For me, I could not have made it through this time without the support of my family, friends, and co-workers. Yet, we end up being so busy trying to meet various needs that we often forget to acknowledge and give thanks for everything they’ve done.
I find the simple act of appreciation goes a very long way.
At work, we tend to think of feedback as purely a constructive thing. As I had mentioned in my video, ‘Best Practices for Receiving Feedback,’ many of us tend to run the other direction when someone attempts to provide feedback. However, it’s important to remember that feedback is balanced and should include all of a person’s positive aspects. Here are three simple ways to show appreciation:
Check-in with your peers
It’s the end of the year, and here at Adobe we are approaching FY20 Check-in—our year-round feedback review process. The great thing about ‘Check-in’ is that anyone can practice this. Check-in is all about asking for constructive feedback and learning what you can do improve yourself. But remember that a significant component to Check-in is two-way feedback, so be sure to leave time for positive reinforcement. For example, “I appreciate the way you were able to navigate through the constant change. It’s important to lead by example, and I know the team was better for it—thank you.” Remember, feedback works multiple ways, from manager to employee, employee to manager, and colleague to colleague. As you think about checking-in with your peers, take time to identify the impact someone has made and thank them for it.
Use the SAID Model
One of the most common feedback models we use in Talent Development is the SAID Model, which stands for Specific, Ask, Impact, Do. While frequently used for constructive feedback, did you know you can use it for positive feedback as well? Here’s an example:
- Specific: What specifically do you want to acknowledge? Use clear examples of what you observed. For example, “Thank you for pointing out the wellness resources in the team meeting today. I wasn’t aware we had so many available on the Adobe Benefits website.”
- Ask: Take time to ask for a new perspective and really listen to the answer. This will help you get the whole picture. You never know what you might uncover. “I noticed many of your teammates in the meeting were engaged when you were sharing your personal experience with the resources, was that your intention?”
- Impact: Share how you think an achievement has impacted others. “I appreciate you continuing to bring these essential resources forward for the team. I know several of your colleagues have already reached out to me sharing the impact it has had in their lives.”
- Do: Empower your colleague to continue doing what they do best. Build a long-term plan together. It’s important to remember that you’re not giving thanks just for the sake of it. ”Please continue to lead by example and share your personal experiences. Even though we’re busy, I know your diligence goes a long way to ensuring we have a well-rested and productive team—thank you.”
Being thankful isn’t just limited to one time of the year
Showing appreciation doesn’t need to be overly complicated. It only takes a couple of minutes! Here at Adobe, we recently implemented an appreciation eCard platform, where you can customize cards to send to anyone in the company. I recently received one from the Senior Director of Global Talent Development, and the simple gesture of thanks made my day a lot brighter. The best part is that the eCard platform will continue to evolve internally, which only reinforces that giving thanks is not just limited to one time of the year. Now is the perfect time to give thanks to friends, family, and colleagues, but make it a habit!
Remember, feedback is a gift. It’s how we know when we need to improve on something, but it also reinforces all the great things a person brings to the table. Today, take the time to show your appreciation to a manager, colleague, stakeholder, and mentor and help create a culture of feedback and appreciation.