A couple of weekends ago, my daughter Tabitha had a huge milestone… she graduated!
If you follow me on Instagram, you’ll know that Tabitha and I had a bet on graduation day: If I cried, I’d pay her $5, and if I didn’t cry, she’d pay me $5.
The results? I did NOT cry, so I won $5… but I’ll probably make up for it in the summer months leading up to her leaving for college. 😉
As I watched Tabitha and her fellow students walk across the stage to get their diplomas, I thought about what a huge milestone this was for all of them… and how important it was to recognize that.
These students have worked their entire lives to get to this point, and it’s probably the most significant thing they have accomplished. Whether they’re going into the workforce full-time from here, going into school full-time, or doing both, graduation is a huge milestone in their lives.
Many of the students had friends and family supporting them and making a big deal out of this accomplishment… but some did not, and that’s really unfortunate.
By recognizing what someone has accomplished, their confidence is boosted. They get to feel pride in being recognized and be inspired to reach for their next goal.
This is something we can do for others in a workplace. Perhaps they hit a milestone such as obtaining a certification or learning a new skill.
You could do something simple to acknowledge them, like writing a sticky note: “Just want to say congratulations on [your recent accomplishment]!”
Or you could do something bigger, like buying them lunch, flowers, a gift certificate, getting them their favorite snack, or maybe the whole team recognizes the individual. The trick is to be consistent and to recognize everyone’s milestones.
I’d love to hear if you can remember someone who made a big impact on your life, and recognized your accomplishment in some way. Share it in the comments below!
‘Til next time,
Sandy
