HOW CAN YOU MAKE PEOPLE FEEL VALUED

i've often been thinking about how you can make people feel valued without costing an organisation a lot of money. here are some ideas:

1. say hello and goodbye

every morning, every shift, every day. be intentional about acknowledging your peers. what this does is communicates that you see them; they're important.

2. uniforms

make sure they look like everyone else. the first thing i do with any new players at our club is organise for them to get a training shirt. it's a small gesture, but it makes people feel like they belong, like they're a part of the team.

3. appreciation

be intentional about showing your appreciation, no matter how small their efforts might seem. if it's been a really difficult shift, thank them for their efforts. if they've been struggling, thank them for still showing up. you have to reinforce the good - if you don't, people will stop trying.

4. listen

listen to their ideas. listen to their suggestions. and better yet, implement some of them. one person doesn't have all of the answers. tapping into your team's knowledge and perspectives is a superpower, use it.

5. acknowledge

take steps to actively acknowledge someone's value. offer them a pay rise before they ask. treat them fairly. stick to your word. be integral and proactive.

6. support

actively support your people with their other interests - watch one of their games, buy one of their paintings, share their work. write a post on social media introducing them.

7. food

offer them food. or at the very least, offer them breaks. your staff are human. humans have needs. if they're hungry or tired, i can guarantee they won't be operating optimally.

this is by no means an exhaustive list, but it's a list i've created based on the times in which i've felt both valued, and undervalued. what others ways have you felt valued?

SOMETIMES I HATE MYSELF, TOO

over the past couple of months, i've really struggled with who i am. i've lost sight of my values. i've become fixated on things that i didn't think were important to me. i've become someone i didn't like.

the truth is, sometimes i get jealous. sometimes i shut down. sometimes i snap. sometimes i get angry. and i get angry at the people who haven't done anything wrong. this pains me because it goes against everything i believe in regards to being warm and compassionate. but as much as i wish i didn't do these things, i have to accept that part of being human means there might be times when you're not the person you want to be.

this is not from a lack of will - i can't think of anyone who would consciously choose to be someone they hated. it's usually because there are things in their way, environments that are unserving, or unresolved feelings perhaps, that are preventing that individual from thriving.

so as shit as these feelings are, they're necessary. necessary because they remind us that we're human. remind us of what's important. and remind us that we will always have room for improvement.

so the next time you find yourself slipping into someone you don't like, take a moment to reflect - to ask yourself what's really going on. what's really upsetting you. anger is not a feeling to be feared, it's a feeling to be used to fight for a better world. what angers us is what fuels us. find the source of that anger and use it to become a better version of you.

IT'S NOT ABOUT THE MONEY

it's about the principle.

i was recently demoted at work. demoted after being promised that nothing was changing with my role. demoted after being promoted only four months ago. demoted after working tirelessly in the past four months, often beyond my job description and pay grade. and demoted, again, after having this happen less than 18 months ago.

the reasoning? the owner couldn't justify my pay. couldn't justify the extra $100 a week i was 'costing' the business. from a business perspective, i get it - he has an assistant manager and a manager, why do they need a supervisor? from a human perspective? i do not.

the truth is, you can't treat people like that and expect them to stay. you can't use people when you need them and then cast them off to the side when you don't. your employees are more than just a number; they're more than just a 'cost'. they're people. and if you don't look after your people first? they definitely won't look after you.

this is the third time in the past three years where i have had pay taken from me. taken, despite me exceeding my value. so why does this keep happening to me? because i keep allowing it. because i understand. i understand when people are struggling. i care. but the problem with this approach? i'm then at a loss. no one else, only me. so i have a choice - i keep accepting this reality, this treatment, or i finally stand up for myself and say no: this is my value. this is my worth. if you can't see it and respect it, then i'll go somewhere that does.

it's not about the money. it's about the principle of being treated fairly. and if someone doesn't see your value? don't waste your energy fighting for it. spend that energy finding somewhere that does.