Don't just care...let them know you care!
Over at Talking Story with Rosa Say, the focus this month is on the Hawaiin value Mālama. Translated, the value is Caring.
Rosa shares in this month's kick-off post: "To care for something or someone is to make that something or someone matter to you. And in the process of caring we ourselves become better."
I couldn't agree more. The more we care, the better we become. I know that once I started caring about my team's successes more than my own successes, I have seen more successes for ALL of us. It's an amazing thing to think about. The more you care, the more success you see.
This reminds me of an old favorite quote of mine that runs through all aspects of my life.
"People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care." - Anonymous
2 recent examples of caring that I'll share with you from my world.
During our weekly staff meeting at 6:30 AM on Thursday morning, I took the time to invest 20 minutes showing my team what an awesome job they have done the first 3 months of the year, individually, with all the certifications they are working on, and as a team, with all the projects we've now assumed support for successfully. I also let them know how proud I was of each one of them for their contributions in making our team the best Help Desk in the WORLD! Our clients LOVE us, the rest of the IT department loves us, and then, I let them know how much I love them for all they do to make my life easier and gave them specific examples of how they have gone above and beyond to help out. It was a great meeting for our team, and while it's hard to see in the dark, I think everyone knows how much I care about them.
Later in the day on Thursday, my company recognized every associate for making us one of Fortune's best places to work in 2006. The CTO of our company, and our 3 senior managers in the IT department, took the time to hand out the t-shirts and a nice picture frame, because it's the 3rd year in a row we've been recognized. Big deal, I can buy a t-shirt for $5 and an empty picture frame is another $10, right? WRONG! Our CTO took the time to give me a big hug and let me know he loved me. WOW! And my manager took the time to thank me for leading my team the past year to do great things. WOW! That's why I work where I do.
If you care about your team, you will see more success than if you don't. And if you care about your team, LET THEM KNOW!
Make it a great day!
Phil
Phil Gerbyshak
http://makeitgreat.org
During our weekly staff meeting at 6:30 AM on Thursday morning, I took the time to invest 20 minutes showing my team what an awesome job they have done the first 3 months of the year, individually, with all the certifications they are working on, and as a team, with all the projects we've now assumed support for successfully. I also let them know how proud I was of each one of them for their contributions in making our team the best Help Desk in the WORLD! Our clients LOVE us, the rest of the IT department loves us, and then, I let them know how much I love them for all they do to make my life easier and gave them specific examples of how they have gone above and beyond to help out. It was a great meeting for our team, and while it's hard to see in the dark, I think everyone knows how much I care about them.
Later in the day on Thursday, my company recognized every associate for making us one of Fortune's best places to work in 2006. The CTO of our company, and our 3 senior managers in the IT department, took the time to hand out the t-shirts and a nice picture frame, because it's the 3rd year in a row we've been recognized. Big deal, I can buy a t-shirt for $5 and an empty picture frame is another $10, right? WRONG! Our CTO took the time to give me a big hug and let me know he loved me. WOW! And my manager took the time to thank me for leading my team the past year to do great things. WOW! That's why I work where I do.
If you care about your team, you will see more success than if you don't. And if you care about your team, LET THEM KNOW!
Make it a great day!
Phil
Phil Gerbyshak
http://makeitgreat.org
Technorati Tags: love, caring, talking story, malama
Great stories Phil, thank you for sharing them with us! What a wonderful start you have given us for our reflection on Mālama this month. It sounds like you are working in a terrific environment, and I'm sure your own contributions are very meaningful to those you work with.
Thank you too for reminding us of that wonderful quote, it has been a favorite of mine as well. Those words compose a mantra which have long been coaching in customer service training, and they remain current today and every day as making-it-great words for us all to live by.
Mālama pono, Rosa
Posted by: Rosa Say | April 02, 2006 at 12:36 AM
Aloha Phil,
Thanks for the stories.
I first heard the "how much you care" quotation in the context of learning Parelli Natural Horsemanship, because people will so often pretend to respond to your expertise alone, but a horse never will. It has also been a mantra for me, Rosa.
Two days ago I actually found a source for it! According to Bob Burg in Endless Referrals, it was first said by Cavett Robert, founder of the National Speakers Association.
I think this month I will add it to my email signature and share the wisdom.
Beth
Posted by: Beth Robinson | April 03, 2006 at 11:24 AM