The Importance of Acknowledging Everyone

I posted the following tweet the other day:

“New experiences bring new lessons and reminders of older ones. Change is always an important to gain experience and knowledge.”

I recently began a new job at a new organization and am enjoying the new environment and perspectives of change. I have been fortunate to land in a place with great coworkers and an attentive and nurturing manager. Like with my last organization, this is a good environment for me. Yet at the same time, it is very different and will afford me a exposure to new lessons, observations, and understanding.

I have always appreciated managers who are true leaders and teach by example. Sometime during my first week working at my new job a member of the cleaning staff was going around our office to empty the waste baskets. My manager came over and after a brief hello introduced the individual to me by his name. She then mentioned she had not seen him lately and inquired if he was okay. These were not empty questions – her concern was genuine. After a few minutes she said goodbye and went back to her desk. The man continued with his work, but with a little more of a smile on his face.

The situation brought me back to my MBA studies and leadership classes. The importance of not taking people for granted is always discussed – but rarely given the weight and time it deserves. A great deal of time is dedicated to studying strategy, accounting, and finance. Lectures are dedicated to human resources, ethics, and legalities. But discussions about how to reward, acknowledge, and empower individuals are often short.

People are every organization’s greatest asset. And yet Wall Street and other global financial markets a company’s worth is measured by stock price. We use commoditized terms such as staff or employees, instead of people or individuals. It is important to remember that it is individuals who work every day to make organizations great. It is individuals who discover new technological advancements, individuals who create strategies, individuals who write reports, and individuals who clean up the office when no one notices. And every one of these individuals makes a vital contribution to the organization.

I am thankful to have a new job where I have the opportunity to learn and observe. Thank you for reminding me of this important lesson.