Lucia Knight
A Joy At Work Experiment: Showing Your Appreciation
Appreciation is one of the simplest, most cost-effective ways to improve workplace dynamics, as far as joy is concerned. When done genuinely and often, It's a win-win investment of a few seconds. If appreciation is so clearly a win-win, why don't we do it more?
Appreciation is one of the simplest, most cost-effective ways to improve workplace dynamics, as far as joy is concerned. When done genuinely and often, It's a win-win investment of a few seconds.
If appreciation is so clearly a win-win, why don't we do it more?
Appreciation doesn't need to be a grand, splashy, time-consuming gesture. And in todays Joy At Work experiment, I’m going to show you two easy ways that you can start showing appreciation for those around you today.
[00:30] The Power of Appreciation
[00:58] Personal Story: The Smile That Changed Everything
[02:08] Appreciation in the Workplace
[04:27] A Joy At Work Experiment: Show Some Appreciation
[06:04] A Joy At Work Experiment: Smile More
[07:09] The Impact of Genuine Appreciation
The Joy At Work Experiment: Two ways to show appreciation
Experiment #1: Catch someone doing something good and tell them!
In your next meeting, look for someone doing something well. It can be anything. The smaller, the better. Then, tell them what you noticed. Be specific. Mention what it was that prompted you to notice. And whatever you do, be genuine. People can smell insincerity from a mile off.
Experiment #2: Become a smilier morning person.
Yup! Thats right! Start your day by sharing a smile with colleagues, even if it's just a slight upturn of your lips. Maybe even smile and greet your teammates each by name if you're feeling like it.
Next Steps:
If you enjoyed this, you might also enjoy my Life Satisfaction Assessment. It's a 30-minute program where I guide you through a deep dive into 10 areas of your life to assess what's bringing you joy and what's bringing you down. I call it Derailed and it's a fabulous place to begin a joy-at-work redesign.
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Showing Your Appreciation - A Joy At Work Experiment
Lucia Knight: You're busy, yeah? There's never enough time to focus on your future work happiness. But if you don't focus on it, things just stay the same, don't they? In these short episodes, I wanna give you some tiny ideas, some mini experiments to try out this week to either dial down a pain point for you at work or dial up your potential for joy at work.
Let's dive in.
The Power of Appreciation
Lucia Knight: The Oxford Dictionary defines appreciation as recognition and enjoyment of the good qualities of someone or something. Appreciation at work has a huge influence on our potential for joy. Appreciation matters because it satisfies one of our most fundamental human needs, belonging. We're hard wired for it, and it's why babies flash that magical six week smile.
Personal Story: The Smile That Changed Everything
Lucia Knight: I learned this first hand as a new parent. Truth be told, I'm not very good at the tiny baby stuff. Six weeks after my first daughter was born, with my body in tatters, winter gloom looming, and no idea how to make this supposed bundle of joy sleep, I was struggling. My husband had been back at work for a month, my parents lived in a different country, and almost everyone I knew was busy at work.
Then, one miraculous day, my daughter smiled, a toothless, gummy grin. That smile told me my exhaustion, the dark circles, and my round the clock care had been noticed, had been worthwhile. and had been appreciated. In that moment, we decided we'd be friends forever.
Appreciation is a powerhouse of potential for your joy. At work, at home, in sports and in friendships. It transforms relationships, elevates morale and reminds us that what we do matters.
Appreciation in the Workplace
Lucia Knight: Let's talk more about appreciation at work. In one of the very first tasks in my career design program, I asked clients to assess how well their human needs are being met at work over and over.
I noticed a pattern. Those least satisfied with their work often feel under appreciated. These professionals are experienced in their fields. They're often perceived as very successful and people who deliver high quality work, yet They feel seriously underappreciated. Most often the culprit is actually their direct line manager.
Sometimes it can be a broader sense that their hard work doesn't matter enough to their colleagues around them. Gallup research confirms this. When employees feel regularly appreciated, they're more engaged, more productive, and less likely to leave. True and real appreciation. Now, what does that look like?
Well, here's what real appreciation isn't. The dreaded annual appraisal. You know, the one with the windowless office that is the low light of your work calendar. And often, sadly, it's tied to a financial bonus. Nope, that's not it. True appreciation is spontaneous. It happens in the moment when someone nails a presentation, stays late to help a colleague, or consistently delivers stellar work.
If appreciation is so clearly a win win, why don't we do it more? In my work, I see two dominant reasons. The first is time poverty. More and more, I see much of the working world simply feeling too overwhelmed to pause and notice. The second is a perceived lack of importance. Showing appreciation can feel unnecessary, even indulgent, when big deadlines are looming.
Appreciation doesn't need to be a grand, splashy, time consuming gesture.
A Joy At Work Experiment: Show Some Appreciation
Lucia Knight: Here are two simple, effective experiments I'd love you to try this week. Pick the one that feels easiest for you.
Experiment number one, catch someone, anyone, doing something good. In your next meeting, look for someone doing something well.
It can be anything. The smaller, the better. Articulating an idea well, crafting a solid report, helping a colleague or making a good suggestion for improvements. Then, tell them what you noticed. Be specific. Mention what it was that prompted you to notice. Was it their creativity, their attention to detail, their kindness, or their speed?
Before you share, consider how they'd prefer to hear it. For many, a short personal message or quiet acknowledgement works better than a public shout out. But for others, specific appreciation in front of colleagues can be a highlight of their working day. Week, month, or even year. And whatever you do, be genuine.
People can smell insincerity from a mile off. If you become the kind of human who is known for catching other humans doing something well, you won't believe the positive impact it has on your joy at work today. And you might also be surprised by the positive impact it has on your long term employability.
But that's a topic for another episode.
A Joy At Work Experiment: Smile More
Lucia Knight: Experiment number two. Become a smilier morning person. Yes, really. Start your day by sharing a smile with colleagues, even if it's just a slight upturn of your lips. Maybe even smile and greet your teammates each by name if you're feeling like it.
If you're not a natural smiler at work, and I've known quite a few of those, start small. For those blessed with megawatt grins, go on, use them. Feel free to show off those gorgeous gums. This one works at home too. I once realized I'd become all business when my husband walked in the door in the evening, so I decided to spend a few days greeting him like the love of my life, which he is.
I never told him, but I think we both enjoyed that experiment. He listens in sometimes to this podcast, so I suppose I better revive that experiment.
The Impact of Genuine Appreciation
Lucia Knight: So that's it.
Appreciation is one of the simplest, most cost effective ways to improve workplace dynamics, as far as joy is concerned. When done genuinely and often, It's a win win investment of a few seconds.
The giver feels a jolt of joy and the recipient feels steam. This week, try it. Catch someone doing something good and tell them specifically Why you were impressed or smile more, invest just a little human energy into appreciating those around you and watch how it influences their joy at work and yours.
If you enjoyed this, you might also enjoy my Life Satisfaction Assessment. It's a 30 minute program where I guide you through a deep dive into 10 areas of your life to assess what's bringing you joy and what's bringing you down. I call it D Railed. It's a fabulous place to begin a joy at work redesign.
