We’ve reached the time of year that we’re focused on the holidays. It can be a time of reflection on our many blessings and the things we are thankful for. However, it can also be a really hectic season filled with obligations, unexpected expenses, and stress.
As a leader, I’ve found myself reflecting on what it means to give thanks. Specifically, how as a leader do I show that in this season, but also throughout the year?
To guide my thoughts, I started with the official definition below. While not overly new, I really liked the word intentional. Thanks is a deliberate action where thought is applied.
Thanks: An intentional expression of gratitude
Merriam-Webster
A Few Ideas to Share
As this has been on my mind, I’ve crowdsourced ideas with several colleagues at institutions across the nation and the region. While I haven’t used all of these, I do think they all have the potential to be a meaningful way to thank your team for their hard work throughout the year.
Another thing, I think it’s important to cater the thanks to the culture. Some of the ideas may need to be modified or adjusted to match the culture of your institution, and that’s okay. This is designed to serve as a starting point to help generate ideas of how to honor teams.
10 Ideas worth Considering
Staff Group Email – This year, I wrote an email to the staff highlighting some of the accomplishments of the team throughout the semester. I made sure everyone was featured for something they had done. And to be honest, I had a hard time culling the list down because there were so many things I thought about and wanted to include. I sometimes forget to pause and reflect on the work, and I think this is a great exercise to help the team know you see all the work they’re doing.
Awards – The teams I have worked with find value in submitting awards for their efforts. This can be a financial investment, but it also highlights the success of the team, builds expertise outside of the office, and helps showcase some of the hard work the team does. Submitting awards shows that you believe in them and want to see their efforts continually celebrated. When it’s time to select the entries, the group nominates and we review them in our staff meeting. It’s usually a fun moment to reflect on all the great work that’s been accomplished and provides another opportunity to thank the team.
Weekly Shoutouts – Each week in staff meeting our team shouts out the successes that have happened. Some weeks the list is long, and everyone has done something. Some weeks it’s shorter. It doesn’t matter. What matters is every single person on our team has the opportunity to lift up a peer or to brag on themselves. With so much asked of our teams, this is a great way to engage the entire team and make sure we don’t miss celebrating key accomplishments.
Win Wall – A colleague I know has taken the shoutouts a little further and creates a win wall. Each semester she takes the wins shared in each staff meeting and records them on a win wall. At the end of the semester, these are reviewed during a celebration event for her department. While I haven’t tried this one, I think there’s something to be said for the intentional reflection this creates.
Meal Out or Treats – It goes back to culture, but regularly feeding your team is a great way to say thanks. I had a prior team that loved bacon and coffee. The current team loves Chick-Fil-A, donuts, and cookies. Find a way to randomly treat your team to a meal or snack just to say thank you. We tend to do this during the holidays, but I think doing this more regularly is important.
Handwritten Notes – When members of the team go above and beyond, a handwritten note of affirmation can be really meaningful. This can also be really appreciated when a coworker is facing a challenge, and you want them to know they’re seen. I tend to do these randomly, and I continue to be surprised by how much a handwritten note means to members of teams I’ve led.
Calendar Protection – This wasn’t an idea I had, but I think it’s really smart. A colleague shared that she thanks her team by sending them a calendar invite to hold their time the week of the holiday break. She sends an invite for the entire week, which allows her staff to have an easy out for meetings that pop up. Her logic is nothing urgent happens the last week, and this gives her team time to do things like clean out their email inboxes, file papers, and reorganize their desk.
Intentional Gift for Staff – If you’re planning to do a gift this holiday season, find something intentional that works for your staff. It will really depend on culture, but it could be a branded item, a gift card for a meal with their family, a favorite treat, etc. The key here is to find something that the team will enjoy and can be tailored to the unique interests of members of your team. This one can be hard. There’s a reason I’ve given Target gift cards before. Are they the most personal? No. Are they always welcomed. Yes. Do some thinking and find something that works.
Investment in Development – Professional development is important to our profession, but it’s also a great way to thank and show we believe in our teams. Professional development doesn’t always mean attending a conference. It could mean reading a book, taking a class, listening to a podcast, or watching a webinar. Regardless of how that looks for the person, I think it’s important to find ways to invest in the team as a way to say thank you for the work that they do each year to support the university.
What Else?
A special thanks to several of you who contributed great ideas to this blog. Your insights were so helpful. I know I’ve missed a few ideas and would love to hear ways that you honor your teams as well.
And Carrie On 