Recognition

Recognising success, achievement and effort and making it public.

Never underestimate how much it means to an individual to have their work recognised.

Last week I finished a particularly long standing project and was presented with a gift and flowers.  The acknowledgement of my work and efforts over a number of years meant so much.  The team did it perfectly with a group presentation and individual commentary in the card to say what my time with them had meant to them personally.

This weekend I was struck again by the importance of recognition.  Our son won a prize at Speech Day for “ embodying the spirit of the school”.   It was presented very publicly in front of the whole school community.  The prize was not only a recognition of our son but of the boy who died and whom the prize is named after – The Austin Neve prize.

We have a culture of appreciation and recognition and how great to take time to stop and think what has been achieved and how.

Schools and some businesses? do it well, and how hard is it to recognise.  Imagine a Speech Day with your own family, what prize would you award your partner – “The best stacker of the dishwasher”.

On a more serious note, every school talks about kindness and empathy which is the route to recognising others.  Understand others achievements and first and then you will be aware of your own.

“Seek first to understand before being understood” –  Stephen Covey

Very indulgent blog this week – from a mother recognising her son’s efforts and in memory of Austin Neve.