One of my nightly rituals is to flip the page on my never-ending calendar. As I turned the page for tomorrow, the saying caught my attention and brought me up short. It quotes William James' saying: The deepest principle in human nature is the craving to be appreciated.
As I went back through my blog archive, I verified that yes indeed a year ago, I sat at my desk and wrote about people, management and the most important thing about working - the need to be appreciated.
The last year has been more or less a drastic slowdown in pace for me. When the economic world continued on its turmoil-filled spin, life has been quite a walk in the park for me. As friends and loved ones slaved at the grind, not to get a better percentage of increment but merely to save their jobs, I have to crack my head for work to do just to pass the time from 9 am to 5 pm, Mondays to Fridays.
It is indeed hard when the accounting balances do not justify a huge payout of festive incentives and what-have-you-not. But I have learnt that sometimes (not all the time) it is not all financial reward that matters.
As I told my colleague of my plans for next year, and how I think we can work out a path for her that would justify and enable her to go up a little bit more, it occurred to me that sometimes.. just sometimes.. the simplest gesture of "thank you for standing by me" would be enough.
I would do well to remember that.
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