Every once in a while, I will remember something that I learned while serving in the Army that is useful. What I remembered most recently was that if employees do not feel appreciated, they will not perform to the best of their abilities. In fact, they will likely become passive aggressive and, either consciously or unconsciously, make the decision NOT to perform at all no matter what their abilities might be. A recent survey conducted of American workers found that 57% of the respondents did not feel appreciated at their place of work. No wonder, then, that we hear stories about struggling economies, failing companies, people changing careers or, in some instances, deciding not to return to work at all but rather begin to collect their social security benefits! To me, just about everything comes down to leadership.

If leaders recognize that their people are important, they will make sure that those within their organization are made to feel important. This concept translates to our roles as leaders of the clients we serve. A foundational skill for leaders at all levels, whether they lead a company, a government agency, a project of some type, or leading a meeting at the local church or other civic organization, to develop an understanding of the acronym: R-establishing Rapport, A-expressing Appreciation, T-building Trust, E-Empathy (RATE). How is your RATE? You are all leaders at some level, and I want to take the opportunity to thank you once again for your leadership and dedication to this project. As we continue to move forward, you will be called upon to do work that is hard, that is seemingly impossible, and yet you will be asked to move forward with us on behalf of those we all serve. Remember, “Adversity is not an adequate deterrent!” I hope that you will all continue to press forward in spite of any and all obstacles we may face as you already have over this last year. Let’s make sure that we are encouraging each other and our clients. It is one of our very important leadership roles. Have a blessed week…..

Stephen