You are Never Too Old
to Give or Get Gold Stars.
Show Your Honest Appreciation -
Today.
- jonathan lockwood
huie
When I was very young, my mother gave me gold stars whenever I did
something she liked. Usually they were small gold foil shapes with
sticky backs, but Mother also saved some really big ones - three
inches across - for extra-special accomplishments. Together with
Mother's love, those stars made me feel special, important, and
appreciated.
As adults, we are much more likely to receive criticism than
appreciation. Our boss, our spouse, and the others in our lives
expect much from us. When we fail to live up to their expectations,
they criticize, but when we go beyond the call, or better yet do
something delightfully unexpected, we are likely to get an
"ummm..." response at best.
Appreciation, whether verbal or as physical shiny gold stars, is
perhaps the greatest gift we can give to those around us. In the
timeless How to Win Friends and Influence People, Dale Carnegie
lists "Give Honest and Sincere Appreciation," as one of his
fundamental principles.
When was the last time you offered sincere appreciation or a gold
star? Perhaps it was recently. In a few offices, gold stars have
become a common, if sometimes insincere, practice. Some on-line
communities provide gold stars - or green stars or butterflies -
for members to award each other. However, most of the time most of
us fail to express our appreciation to those people who make our
lives better in small, or large, ways.
Consider these ways to express appreciation:
1. Give someone a shiny gold star. It's only tacky or childish if
your action is insincere.
2. Send a note of appreciation. Again, if it's sincere, it's always
gracious and never inappropriate.
3. Speak your appreciation directly. Say "I appreciate what you
did."
4. Say "Thank You" as often as you can.
5. Express appreciation for the person as well as the deed. "I
appreciate YOU. Thank You for being my friend - or co-worker,
or..."
Give somebody a gold star - Today.
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Post Comments
definitely! It’s strange actually – I feel like I’m saying thank you to people every minute of the day, but always get little in return. It’s not upsetting, but at times can be a little frustrating…