Conversations in Management
On
the first day of his first term in Congress, Henry Clay was
elected Speaker of the House. He was that kind of guy.
He’d be reelected to the House and Speakership five more times.
In the process he transformed the role from that of
parliamentarian into the powerful position we recognize today.
Clay didn’t arrive at the House completely unprepared. He had
already served in the Senate twice. He’d return to that body for
another two terms after spending four years as Secretary of
State. Henry Clay was undisputedly a politician in every
sense of the word. He understood the rules of the game and he
knew how to wield power. But foremost, Clay understood people.
He knew how to broker a compromise and mediate a dispute. He was
a consensus builder—at least as long as the consensus was around
a position he favored. He was called both, The Dictator
and, The Great Pacificator in one long breath by friend
and foe alike.
Whatever
his failings, Clay was long on charisma. He knew how to
engage people and to make them feel as if they were the only
ones who mattered. Even his enemies found him strangely
irresistible. Senator John C. Calhoun, a political rival, is
purported to have said, “I don’t like Clay. He is a bad man,
an imposter, a creator of wicked schemes. I wouldn’t speak to
him, but, by God, I love him.” It seems Clay intuitively
knew that everyone craves some measure of recognition.
Everyone, no matter what their age or station in life, wants
to be appreciated—wants their contribution acknowledged. Some
need it more than others, but everyone accepts it with an
appreciating heart.
The simple
act of expressing appreciation is one of the most powerful tools
available to each one of us. The expression requires no special
training, no additional costs and no unique ability. It’s
environmentally friendly and has no negative side effects. In
fact, saying thanks is one of the few things we can do
that always produces a positive effect. Too bad, then, that so
many folks are strangers to the practice. Certainly, one of the
most common complaints in the workplace is that people feel
unappreciated. Common experience is that mistakes bring swift
retribution while good, steady effort goes largely unnoticed.
The problem isn’t confined to the office either. Look at any
unhappy marriage or soured relationship and you’ll find that one
or both parties feel neglected. The consequences of this can be
severe and the emotional cost alone of taking someone for
granted is phenomenal.
The good
news is that this is an easy problem to fix. It takes a bit of
thought, a little sincerity and the iron will to force the
words, “thank you,” to otherwise pursed lips. Why not
take some time today to really notice what the folks around you
are doing? You’ll find that there’s a lot of thoughtfulness
being shown, some top notch work going on and even a few heroic
saves. Don’t let any of it pass without notice. Let
someone know you appreciate them. Recognize someone for a job
well done. Thank someone for a small kindness. You’ll feel
good, they’ll feel great and your world will be a
little bit better for it (actually, it might be a whole lot
better!).
And by the
way, thanks for reading!
—Ebert
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