Tag Archives: appreciate others

Hanging Mistletoe in Your Office

By Peter Jeff
The Leadership Mints Guy

Here’s an idea to help you more fully appreciate your staff. Reading time 3:55

Carefully positioned for optimum view, the plaque beamed a critical message for all leaders: MAKE SOMEONE FEEL IMPORTANT TODAY.”

Hung strategically in a far corner of the office, the motivational plaque served as a visual reminder to the leader: pay attention to the feelings as much as to the facts in coaching and in reprimanding.

Hanging “mistletoe” in the office seemed to be just as effective in influencing behavior as in hanging mistletoe at home at Christmas time, albeit prompting only verbal “kissing” of course.

But at least the office version of mistletoe helped the leader slow down to focus as much on the person as on the problem.

After all, it’s too easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of the office -just like it’s too easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of Christmas time at home. Until you step under mistletoe hung strategically over a doorway.

Then you pause, look into your partner’s eyes, kiss and make each other feel important. No matter how busy you are. No matter how mad you are. No matter how exhausted you are. Continue reading

Beware of Spraying Praise Like Perfume

By Peter Jeff
The Leadership Mints Guy

Here’s an idea on appreciating more than simply praising your employees.

“Oh, Mrs. Cleaver you look so very nice today,” gushed Eddie Haskell in the old television program Leave It To Beaver.

Leave it to Beaver cast (Beaver (l) and his brother Wally (r) flank Mrs. Cleaver.

The teenager‘s sugar-coated voice oozed with a specious sap of insincerity.

Eddie Haskell sprayed praise as if it were some kind of perfume that choked the air with manipulation. Casting his gratuitous smile and unctuous politeness on anyone and anything, Eddie Haskell killed his victims with faux kindness.

Do you know any Eddie Haskells in your organization?

Worse yet, are you falling into the Eddie Haskell trap of sugar-coating your relationship with your boss?

After all, gratuitous praise (a.k.a. brown-nosing) can become a weapon to stun and stunt others who hold a more powerful position than you do. As Sigmund Freud noted “When someone abused me I can defend myself. Against praise I am defenseless.”

Continue reading