When you get an acknowledgement what is your response? There is the initial response: perhaps a "thank you", or the "ah, it's nothing", or even for some (who struggle with compliments and acknowledgements) the "whatever"...these are all common initial responses to a compliment or acknowledgement. But....and here is where I believe it gets good....what is your response and action AFTER the effect?
Think about it...just for a minute....be super honest....this is for you. (And, by the way, for your clients, your business, your relationships with your team, your spouse, etc....)
What happens for you, and your energy, AFTER you receive a "good job", "I love working with you", "I appreciate you", "wow, you're doing great"???
Do you go into the energy of appreciation and connection and "Wow! Now I want to do even better for this person, or be better at this 'thing'", thereby creating more positive energy and a better relationship with your client, team member or partner? Or...
Do you go into the energy of entitlement and completion and "Oh, I've got them now! My work is 'done' here!" Does the person/client/teammate drop lower on the priority list because now you've "got them" and they dared to tell you?
My guess is that anyone reading this, their first inclination may be to say that they stand in the first group. But when we take the time to sit with this and take notice of what's true for ourselves...truly. What is true for you? (From both sides, the giving & the receiving?)
Clients, partners, and even ourselves are in a vulnerable spot when they acknowledge the work we do with them. Regardless of our profession, this is true for everyone. Giving an acknowledgement, saying thank you, and putting oneself "out there", takes heart and energy. In order to best serve and acknowledge our clients back, and to honor them for who they are...it seems essential to keep our service standards high, to reciprocate on positive energy, and maybe even give them an acknowledgement (an authentic one!) back. At a minimum... we must remember to not let the service or the energy slide because we are in the thought/feeling... "I got them". This would fall in the category of bad energy, bad leadership, and bad business.
What do you notice out there? How does this land for you?
Want more of this? Get more by signing up for our newsletters (free! sign in on right side of this page), or even more of this - with action plans - by subscribing to our DTE Engaged Leader/Engaged Life Subscription here.