justplainbil

Just Plain Bill

Acknowledgement!

When I started my career in the business world back in the early 80s, I was introduced to two books: Corporate Culture, by Terrence Deal and Allan Kennedy, and In Search of Excellence, by Tom Peters and Robert Waterman. 

Coming from the not-for profit sector as a public school educator and youth worker, these books highly influenced my perspective and approach to my career as a learning and development consultant.

Over the past 30 plus years, I’ve been especially encouraged, educated and inspired by the works of Tom Peters. His website consists of a treasure trove (a phrase I love and save for the truly remarkable) of thought-provoking writing.

My most favorite of his writings was first read in 2012 and was titled Acknowledgement! In addition to some personal examples of receiving and gifting acknowledgement, he includes what he calls “caselets” about a variety of people responding to acknowledgement. The nine examples are golden, and are followed by “A Note About Body Language and Acknowledgement” – a must-read for anyone striving to influence the work and lives of others.

I’ll share two of my favorite quotes that Peters sprinkles throughout the 12 pages:

“The only true gift is a portion of yourself.”

- Ralph Waldo Emerson

“It is the burning desire for the creature to count.

What man really fears in not extinction, but extinction with insignificance.”

- Ernest Becker

I’d like to close with a suggestion from my editor and dear friend, Allyn Geer: “Mr. Peters reminds us that meaningful acknowledgment is not accomplished by words alone, but by the sincerity perceived “…by the incredibly complex way in which we attend to the person we are addressing.”

Whom have you acknowledged lately? There’s still time today – so just do it!