Ever since I first heard of your strong faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for God’s people everywhere, I have not stopped thanking God for you. I pray for you constantly, asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you spiritual wisdom and insight so that you might grow in your knowledge of God. ~Ephesians 1:15-17 (NLT)
A team had been working feverishly on a project to get it done just in time. With a myriad of unexpected occurrences including the flu taking out a couple of key team members, onboarding a new person to get them acclimated, vacations, and a change in organizational structure, they managed to forge ahead with the project. There were many long hours and some irritability due to the lack of rest, but as a team, they had committed to getting it done, and their word could be counted on. At the end of the project, which was a huge success, the debriefing found the team focusing more on what could have been improved than what was done well. How many of you find yourselves in a similar situation time after time at work, in business, with family, or even on personal projects with friends? Why does it seem more focus and time is spent on what could be instead of what is? It’s time to shift that thinking and watch the players come together in an even more spectacular way not because of obligation, but instead because of passion.
Acknowledge
Many get caught up in an agenda that has the first item as “Thank You” or “Show Appreciation” and while this is good to do on a regular basis, it needs to be more than the top of an agenda. When it is on an agenda, sometimes it can feel more like a check box and less like sincere acknowledgement for a successful project, an amazing event, or even just for showing up. Acknowledgement is great in a meeting or even through email, but it has greater impact when that is the sole reason for the gathering. Acknowledgement lifts spirits when it is sincere, intentional, and well thought out. Include some special ways to acknowledge individuals for their contribution, for putting in long hours, for consistent commitment, or even for support and see how they respond. Some ways to acknowledge are: Handwritten notecard, greeting card, a gift card, or a verbal thank you with specifics and details that lets them know it is personal. There are many other ways, but these cost little to nothing to do. Call To Action: How will you acknowledge those who help you look good at work, with family, in business, or among friends?
Celebrate
Celebrating is an extension of the acknowledgement but on a larger scale. Who doesn’t like to be celebrated? A celebration for the team can help build morale and relationships, and the individual acknowledgements can be done during the celebration or individually depending on the type of acknowledgement. Try calling an emergency meeting, which always increases anxiety, just to celebrate the team and the project’s success. Call the family over for dinner for some important announcement and then just celebrate life and being together as a family. A celebration can be large or small, but the celebration will definitely cause the team to feel ten feet tall. Call To Action: How many celebrations will you schedule without your team’s knowledge?
Pray
Prayer has the capacity to change the dynamics of a team or group of people. However, much like acknowledgement, it should be done from a place of belief and passion, instead of just having a check mark on a list so great things can be done. Prayer is sometimes one of the most overused, but undervalued weapons being applied. People are quick to say “Pray about it” or “I am praying for you” but do not put much faith and belief in those prayers. Check the motives behind the prayer, are they sincere, full of expectation and routed in faith? Or are they to check it off the list of giving good Christian advice and forgotten as soon as the person is out of sight or earshot? When praying with expectation and being grounded in faith, things happen. Individual attitudes and behaviors shift; relationships are built, and cohesion settles in. Call To Action: What will be your new prayer regimen for your team, business, family and friends? Will you pray individually, or with a few from each area of your life?