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A few weeks ago I wrote an article about Jonathan Toews the captain of the Chicago Blackhawks, who during the celebration of the 'Hawks Stanley Cup championship, took the time to shake the hands of the security guards at the United Center in Chicago, thanking them for their hard work.
In it I challenged you, the leader, to consider the last time you had taken a moment to thank, really thank, one of your team members.
This seemed to resonate with lots of folks.
But one reader caused me to reexamine this from another angle.
He asked me not to use his real name, so all names in the following are made up. The company goes unnamed, too.
But the story, as you will see, is legit.
Jake is a regular reader of my weekly Advisory. Apparently the day my article came out about Toews his company had had some sort of special event.
Jake forwarded my article to the president of his company, attaching this note:
Don - I thought it was very thoughtful of you and Rick to spend so much time after the speeches today to personally connect with many...individual contributors at this evening's celebration.
Completely by coincidence, Doug Cartland, who produces this weekly newsletter, was celebrating the very similar characteristics that Jonathan Toews (Captain of the (Stanley Cup Champions!) Chicago Blackhawks) demonstrated ... personally connecting with all who help create our successes.
No action/response expected ... just thought you might find it interesting how similar leaders lead.
Jake
Don wrote back:
Thanks Jake, I always get more than I give from events like last night's. I am glad to see Doug and Jonathan share my views on this. It's a learned behavior from my brother Bill, father, and the better of the bosses I have worked for.
Congratulations on the recent progress on [...] the work you are doing is very important to [...] and the Company.
Don
There are lots of take-a-ways from this, but I'd like to state a maybe-not-so-obvious-one.
As much as I stay on the backsides of leaders to show appreciation to and thank their employees, there is nothing wrong with the reverse.
As a matter of fact, I encourage it.
It is not sucking up to praise a boss. They are human. No really they are. And it helps them too, to know that they are appreciated.
If you know me at all, you know that I am all for honest communication between leaders and those they lead. It's an imperative in a healthy business.
But honesty doesn't have to be negative or critical or even incredibly profound...honesty can also be found in a compliment.
They say it's lonely at the top. There is some truth to that.
It's not often that an employee will do exactly what Jake did in his note to Don: take a moment to sincerely compliment a boss; for a decision made; for handling a sensitive situation well; for seeing the team through a difficult time; for being fair and gracious; or for, in this case, "personally connecting with all who help create our successes."
If you have ever had an employee compliment you, remember that soft glow in your soul that it produced.
And then pass it up.
(Oh, and by "pass it up" I don't mean skip it. I mean, if it can be sincere, compliment your own boss from time to time. But then you knew that right?)
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