My wife once told me,

“Honey.  There is not greater compliment you can give me, than for me to hear you were saying wonderful things about me when I wasn’t around.”

By the way, my wife is a drop dead gorgeous, magnanimous, friend-to-all, saint of a woman who makes me a better human.  And if you could let her know I said that, I would greatly appreciate it.

But seriously, when Gabby told me that, it got me to thinking how we might leverage this same concept to create more positive, encouraging work environments where people are inspired to do their best on a regular basis.   

So, if you are a leader of leaders, try the “Gratitude Waterfall”.  I’ve shared it with countless leaders, and they all report that it was a rare win/win/win.

Here’s how it works:

1. Meet with the managers you lead and ask each one to tell you about one of their team members who has demonstrated excellence recently, and the positive impact it had on the organization

2. Meet with each of those individuals one-on-one and tell them that their manager shared some positive feedback with you, and you wanted to recognize what they did and the positive impact it had

3. Watch everyone win

After this meeting, that team member will feel great because they’ve been recognized for doing a great job – and they’re more likely to repeat it.  You’ll feel great because you are spreading joy all around.  And the managers who work for you will be recognized for building teams where excellence gets recognized and shared. 

It’s a win/win/win!

And that’s how "The Gratitude Waterfall” works.  Try it out with your team and let us know how it goes.