Experiences with Appreciation

Experiences with Appreciation

‘Appreciation’ – dictionary.com meaning of this word is ‘the act of estimating the qualities of things and giving them their proper value’. In simple terms recognizing some ones effort. It starts with a simple ‘thank you’ and ends anywhere. When we overdo it can be called as pampering, which is dangerous. The ideal situation for the same to find the ‘median’ and this point differs in different contexts. It varies from person to person, situation to situation. I have jot down some situation where I had experienced ‘Appreciation’. I have not taken any names here – but many of you find yourself in one of the characters mentioned – it is not coincidence it is purely natural.

Keep it up.

Few months back incident, my 6 year old son got an appreciation from his drawing teacher. Apparently she told him ‘Very good and Keep it up’ and patted on his back. After that day his drawing book is kept on the top most slots in his book shelf. He is really keeping it up. Realizing the same I tried to explain him – but he never gets it. But it motivated him do more drawing so the purpose of appreciation is met.

It is my job.

It was my last day in Netherland office in one of my many site visits, my on-shore director was about to leave from office. He walked up to me and said ‘thank you’ and shook my hands. It was like a surprise to me and I asked ‘for what’? He said ‘I would like to thank you for all the good work that you have done here’. I said ‘fine, welcome – I have not done anything above my job description; you do not need to thank me for doing my job’. He then said ‘It is my job description – that says I have to thank you’. Later, I went back to HR portal and checked, if at all it is there in the job description of a person at his level. It was not there. Means as we grow and mature, we only add as ‘Job Description’ to appreciate people – such a nice thing.

Limassol wine festival.

It was one of those times, where I was preparing kids to perform ‘Ramayana’ on the stage which was part of Diwali celebrations at office. During the same time Cultural club has arranged some inter-platform sports events as well. It was like 0800PM in the evening when I returned to my desk after the rehearsal for the kids; then my colleague also arrived after his sport event. He was talking about how went ahead and won the one-minute performance. To our surprise, there appeared one of our directors from the delivery function; she hands over one wine bottles and a ‘thank you note’ to both of us. We both stood up to understand the situation. Then she shook hands with us and says ‘Thank you so much for putting lots of effort – I know that is it is little late now; you guys are still working late – this is token of appreciation for the hard work put’. We both did not utter a single word. It was meant for people working late, but since we both happened to be there - we became victim of that real gesture of appreciation.

The young man in the Old Madras Road.

I see one traffic cop every day morning, near to our office managing the traffic situation in the junction. This guy has not got a transfer or change of his location for past few years. I see him every day managing the traffic situation irrespective of the weather conditions. One bright summer day (it was really hot that day), I was walking towards a bank work near to this junction and realized how difficult is to be out there in sun in such a weather and pollution condition. This gentle man (traffic cop), he is still there managing the situation at ease. While returning back from bank, I walked to him and shook his hands and said ‘thank you so much, sir – you are doing a wonderful job by managing the traffic’. He looked at me as if I am not from this planet. I don’t even know if he understood what I am trying to say. I think he does a thankless job and none appreciates him. He gave me a blunt puzzled look without any expression and asked me move away as he has his work to do.

We all must learn to appreciate and make it habit, its true both in professional as well as personal life. Appreciation motivates people to do more than they can actually deliver. Now than you all for reading this till here – really appreciated.

Yours truly,

Aary