Even the Lone Ranger had Tonto

A quick thought today….

Superheroes have sidekicks that are as important and well known as they are. They are sometimes sounding boards, sometimes saviors and sometimes they need to be saved. But to be sure the superhero of the story would not be the same, and worse off, without them.

Do we treat the people we work with as though they are just as valuable?

If you are the hero of your day (and you are), take a moment and thank your team that supports you and makes you better. And remembers the rules of thanks and praise:

1. Be timely: go out and give them the feedback right at the moment they are doing something great
2. Be specific: the more specific the better. General and generic compliments get put into a general and generic bucket. We want better, we should give better.
3. Be excited: remember your attitude, voice, body language and emotions give out 92% of the messages people receive. Do not ignore your energy and attitude when you are thanking and praising your team
4. Be positive: Focus on the positives. Do not worry about coaching and correcting. Be positive and be done.

So remember, take a moment today and thank the “sidekicks” that make you the “hero”. They could be helping anyone be better, but they are helping us so we should thank them.