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Dr Nick Ohizu-The Voice of God
Yes, you, I am talking to you. Most of the time when we talk about praise, we only attribute it to God. Yes, God created us to praise and worship him, but praise is something he also created for us to encourage each other. Praise is the thing that motivates us most. Every human being thrives on being appreciated.
Celebration is the motivation for life. I read a story about a worker who was dead at his desk for three days before anyone discovered him. It is better to share the story with us to help buttress my topic today.
The story goes like this: “Bosses of a publishing firm were trying to work out why no one noticed that one of their employees had been sitting dead at his desk for three days before anyone asked if he was feeling okay.
George, 51, who had been employed as a proof-reader at a New York firm for 30 years, had a heart attack in the open-plan office he shared with 23 other workers. He quietly passed away on Wednesday, but nobody noticed until Saturday morning when an office cleaner asked why he was still working during the weekend.
His boss Elliot said: “George was always the first guy in each morning and the last to leave at night, so no one found it unusual that he was in the same position all that time and didn’t say anything. He was always absorbed in his work and kept much to himself.’ A post-mortem examination revealed that he had been dead for three days after suffering a coronary. Ironically, George was proofreading manuscripts of medical textbooks when he died.”
True or not, there is an important message in this yarn. Have you been appreciated at work or at home lately? Whilst pondering this question, keep in mind that appreciation is a two-way street – we also need to appreciate the work of others. It is quite easy to take for granted the presence of people in our lives.
It is common to overlook the impact and contribution of others in our lives. I will start from home. When was the last time you appreciated your spouse, children, parents, friends, and relatives? Let me take it further.
Do you say thank you to your house cleaner for the job she does? Do you appreciate your gardener for cutting the lawn or washing your car? Most of the time these acts of humanity are overlooked after all people are paid for their jobs. Irrespective of how much one is paid. We should never forget that appreciation is a recognition of one’s difference. It is one thing that separates us from other animals.
Humankind is the only creature that relates with its family for the rest of their lives, other animals go their separate ways after some time. The way we maintain that relationship is through praise and appreciation. We thrive in an ecosystem where reward determines longevity of life. That is why we are raised by our parents, and we grow up and look after them as a reward for what they have done for us.
Everyone wants to be associated with a winner, be it a winning person, a winning team, a worthwhile cause, or a successful organisation. We all have sports people, teams, actors, or artists that we consider “ours.”
When they do well, we bask in their reflected glory. It is the same at work – we want to be associated with a worthwhile, winning organisation. Our greatest reward is receiving acknowledgment that we have contributed to making something meaningful happen. More than anything else, people want to be valued for a job well done by those they hold in high regard.
A famous study by Lawrence Lindahl in the 1940’s produced some surprising results when supervisors and their employees were asked to list what motivates employees?
Employees listed “appreciation of a job well done” as number one and “feeling in on things” as number two.
Supervisors, on the other hand, expected the employees would rank these two items as eighth and tenth respectively (supervisors thought employees would put “wages” as number one and “promotion” number two).
These results have been replicated time and time again ever since. In another recent study, employees were asked to rank job-based incentives. “Personal thank you’s” came first and “a note of appreciation from my manager” came second. “Money” came in at 16th!
Praise, the thing that motivates us the most, takes so little time and costs nothing. Today, take time to thank and appreciate those who have or are making any contribution in your life or organisation.
You will discover that they will put in more efforts and develop a sense of belonging in the process. Love grows where it is watered, and workers grow where they are appreciated.
Now, stand up, pick your phone, leave your office, or buy a gift and go and praise that person or people that God has placed in your life and watch how easy it is to put a smile on someone’s face.
Dr Nick Ohizu is the senior pastor of The Empowerment Ministries and the president of the Empowerment School of Wealth both located in Graniteside, Harare. He is a successful Entrepreneur with vast experience in leadership, mentorship, business and marriage consultancy with a mandate from God to change lives and bless people. To contact Dr Nick for any of his Services, please call 0772304917.
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