February is the month of Love and some will celebrate romance on February 14th, Valentine’s day. Do you?
I’m a romantic at heart so I like to plan something even for my co-workers or my teams. I value my team and want them to feel appreciated. Can you feel the love at work or with others?
We all experience love – or let’s say for work or from a team perspective, we can experience appreciation. Everyone has different ways that they feel appreciated at work or on a team.
Everyone is motivated by different things, we all have different values and what’s important to us. Those are defined based on our life and programming.
Some of us may want a pat on the back or an award (or trophy) for a performance well done – or maybe it’s some one-on-one coaching time. We are all unique and feel appreciated differently.
Our motivation is ignited when we receive our ideal form of praise, encouragement, or recognition for our efforts.
It is the job of a manager, leader, or coach not only to run the operation or team but also to keep the people happy and know what motivates them. Understanding what makes someone tick is essential for helping them perform well and do their best. This in turn will reflect in the bottom line and getting results.
Businesses and teams thrive on the relationships of their people.
Gary Chapman’s book “The 5 Love Languages” has helped couples learn their own love language. Each person feels love in their own way and how they receive it has to make sense to them.
If we look at this in the workplace it also makes sense. We can convert love to appreciation in the workplace. We don’t normally think of our co-workers loving us, so appreciation is a more appropriate descriptor. Love is about meeting that deep need to feel that you are valued and appreciated.
Inspired by Chapman’s original book and understanding of these languages, Dr. Paul White saw the need for the love languages in the workplace.
“Every person is unique in the way that they feel love or express love in personal relationships, but it’s the same in how they feel appreciated and valued in work relationships,” explains White.
The 5 Languages of Appreciation
1. Words of Affirmation – using words to affirm people, praise, give positive feedback.
2. Acts of Service – actions speak louder than words, helping out when it gets busy.
3. Receiving Gifts – people like things to feel appreciated, awards, MVP, gift cards for a job well done.
4. Quality Time – giving someone undivided attention and regular one-on-one coaching sessions.
5. Physical Touch – appropriate touch (pats on the back), high fives.
However, all companies, with hundreds, if not thousands of employees can’t possibly take the time to invest in identifying each person’s language of appreciation, but Managers and team leaders can and should.
Why? It is directly correlated to job satisfaction, increased employee productivity, and can impact the health of the organization. In order to have good health at an organizational level, we need to take care of the individuals.
“Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.”
– Henry Ford
If a manager or leader can properly create and maintain a happy environment, team members will seamlessly work together, be more productive, and more engaged therefore helping the company as a whole.
When we feel valued and appreciated, we are able to perform at peak levels. Feeling cared for and supported increases our mental and emotional well-being, which translates into improved performance.
When we maximize our personal performance, we find ourselves with the time and ability to, in turn, reach out and support our teammates. Eventually, as team members begin to work in greater unison, they will begin to see the fruits of their shared labor and become more invested in their success as a team.
Learning the 5 languages of Appreciation teaches us that we are not all alike and we have different needs and desires.
If you want to learn more visit https://www.5lovelanguages.com/
Master the Mind, Master the Game