Appreciation and kindness should not just be reserved for your personal life. One of my friends always says, “If we can’t figure out how to be the best versions of ourselves at work, when and where are we going to do that?” Because the fact of the matter is, we probably spend more time at work and with our co-workers than we do anywhere else. Depending on your schedule and extracurricular activities, you might spend more time at work than you do at home. So again, why not figure out how to be the great guy (or gal) you are at home while you’re at the office?

It seems a rather simple concept: be kind to those around you, wherever you are. But ask yourself, do you always give thanks and praises to the people on your team for a job well done? It’s an often overlooked piece of the puzzle, and when exercised, a simple congratulations can strengthen the connection inside your team and help build loyalty and dedication. This is not a tactic or ploy – simply tell people they’re doing a great job when they are. Write a LinkedIn recommendation when your clients or vendors have been awesome, because I guarantee that they will appreciate it.

The power of spoken (or written) gratitude is amazing. This does not have to be a concept and action reserved for management level. And, more importantly, it shouldn’t be saved just for people within your company or organization. Surprise recommendations from clients or vendors are the greatest thing. To that end, submit positive reviews at Yelp.com for businesses when you have a great experience. I have a few I need to post actually. And just for today, reserve that negative post that you really want to flame that @ssh(*# with who gave you attitude at the coffee shop. Just let it slide today.

But make sure that you reward your co-workers and clients and/or vendors with praise when they deserve it. You can make someone’s day, with a very short couple of minutes of thought.

Hope you all have a great day today.