ļ»æ00:01 - Dr. Angela Buckley (Host)
Are you an aspiring leader who knows you have more to offer but you can't seem to get ahead? Do you frequently feel overwhelmed and under-supported? Listen to the Overcome to Become podcast as we talk about actionable tasks and mindsets that you can apply to begin leading yourself. Hi, I'm Dr Angela Buckley, your host and author of the Strength in Nature Leadership Series and Likeable Leadership Reflection Journals. I'm a mother, consultant, triathlete and coach In Overcome to Become. I share with you the science-backed and experienced proven lessons I've learned in my own leadership journey to beat burnout.
00:38
Welcome back to Overcome to Become, the podcast dedicated to helping you transform challenges into growth opportunities with the right mindset. I'm your host, dr Angela Buckley, and as we continue our fourth season focused on overcoming overwhelm, today's topic is the spirit of acknowledgement. Delegation and prioritization are essential in managing overwhelm, but how we recognize the contributions of our team can make all the difference. Have you ever thanked your team for a job well done, expecting them to feel appreciated, only to sense that your words fell flat? Sometimes, a simple thanks isn't enough, and that's where the spirit method comes in, aimed at making your recognition more meaningful and impactful. Let's explore how you can enhance your acknowledgement practices, but first, let me start with a story. I've always been focused on thanking and acknowledging and recognizing my team members, and I used to walk out the door at the end of the day and I would say, thanks, guys, great day today. And I would say, thanks, guys, great day successful. And so I came up with this acronym, the Spirit of Acknowledgement, based on the different psychological research studies that are available, and put this together in order to help you learn how to say thank you, and it's a tool that I wish I had had when I was a young engineer learning how to work and manage people and I wanted to say thank you and I really was just missing the mark, because sometimes thanks just isn't enough. Acknowledgement plays a crucial role in enforcing positive behavior and motivating teams, but not all acknowledgements are created equal, and today we'll discuss the SPIRIT method of acknowledgement, which stands for specific, personal impact, relevant, inclusive and timely.
03:04
Each element contributes to a powerful recognition message that resonates and motivates. Let's break it down First. S is for specific, general statements like good job can feel hollow. Instead, be specific about what that person did well or the team. For instance, saying great work on the project isn't really going to help them understand what was great. So instead try to say something more like this your attention to detail on the project report, particularly in the data analysis section, was outstanding.
03:42
Next, we really want to make this personal. So P for personal. Tell your acknowledgement to the individual. Personal recognition shows that you notice and you value their unique contributions. Mention their strengths or their efforts. Mention maybe something even about their character and tie that in to make that personal, such as. I really appreciate your initiative and creativity. Your unique approach made a big difference. What here we're doing is if this is a person who really focuses on creativity and wants to bring initiative to a team. These are some values that they hold dear to their heart. You've highlighted specifically something that they care about, which is going to make that even more impactful, which brings us to I.
04:34
I stands for impact. Highlight the effect of their work. People want to know that their efforts matter and that they contribute to the bigger picture. Communication should answer the question why does this matter If you can tie this performance to metrics even better? Your efficient handling of the client query helped maintain our reputation for excellent customer service. Excellent customer service, customer service ratings are metrics that are measured and often highlighted in performance reviews. So when you can really tie that behavior back to the impact that helps that person, you are giving clarity, you are attending vision to your comment and you're helping them move forward positively.
05:23
Spi and we move on to R, which stands for relevant. Align your recognition with broader goals and values of the organization organization. This connects their work to their role within the wider mission, such as your dedication to collaborative teamwork aligns perfectly with our company's commitment to inclusivity and innovation. So now we're really talking about how does the work not just go strictly at an impact, so on a metric, but how is it relevant for the overall organization? Does it align to our mission, vision and values? And this is really important for everyone to feel included in the overall organization. Next we have I for Inclusive.
06:13
Ensure that your acknowledgements foster a sense of belonging and encourage collaboration. Recognize not just the individual achievements but also how they contribute to the team's success. You might say the way you coordinated with the marketing team was instrumental to the campaign's overall success. But also understand that you understand when and how to deliver that message, because if you have an extreme introvert on your team, they might not always want their recognition to be public. So there may be a time when it would be appropriate to give some of this feedback in a quieter fashion for someone who doesn't want all of the public recognition. Generally somebody's done a really great job, the team knows that that person's been recognized, but maybe the person doesn't want a full recognition in front of a team, so be judicious in how you do that. But it's very helpful and, in general, recommended that you're giving this level of acknowledgement in front of the team to an individual for a job well done. But understanding the needs of the team and the individual is part of inclusivity.
07:31
And finally, we're going to move on to T for timely Deliver those acknowledgements as close to the event or achievement as possible. The sooner you recognize someone's efforts, the more meaningful your words will be and impactful. Don't wait for a formal review to express appreciation. Catching people in the moment amplifies the impact. Now I will tell you. It takes a second.
07:57
The first couple times you try to follow the spirit method. You'll have to practice how to formulate this. So, a day or two days after an event like this for something, those first couple times, you're writing this and really working through how you're going to put these elements together absolutely, that's okay. These elements together Absolutely, that's okay. As you get more and more practiced with this tool, you'll find that it becomes a second nature and you get better and you can understand where you can mix and match and maybe something that's a little bit smaller doesn't need the full formula. For example, as my child has grown up, he is very familiar with this method because he's even called me out on it from time to time. Mom, you don't have to do that every single time. Fair. However, understanding when he did do a great job, he came home from a project that he had created at school. Going through all of these steps is really helpful for him, but he doesn't need that when he just did the laundry or cleaned the kitchen once, right. So understanding that you can use this judiciously will also help you with delivering that impact.
09:09
To recap, the spirit method of acknowledgement can transform a simple thank you into a profound message of appreciation that motivates and inspires Specific personal impact. Relevant, inclusive and timely Recognition not only validates the efforts of others, but also strengthens the relationship and drives a positive work culture. As you think about how to integrate the spirit of acknowledgement into your life, consider taking a moment today to reach out to someone you work with and utilize these elements in your thank you. Notice the difference it makes in their response. Thank you for joining me today on Overcome to Become. I hope this episode provides you with valuable insights into making your acknowledgements more impactful. Tune in next time as we continue to explore the strategies to foster a mental mindset equipped to overcome overwhelm. Please subscribe, leave a review and share this episode with anyone that you think might benefit. Remember, the right acknowledgement can turn a moment into a catalyst for growth and positivity. Until next time, keep recognizing the greatness around you and stay resilient in your journey.
10:33
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