The Joy of Unexpected Gifts
A few weeks ago, I received an unexpected Amazon delivery at my home.
The package was addressed to me and my husband. It seemed odd. Usually if one of us orders something from Amazon, only the person’s name who ordered it is on the label.
When we opened the package, inside there was an electric wine opener. There wasn’t a card stating who it was from. There also wasn’t a receipt indicating a delivery mix-up. We looked all over the packaging and couldn’t find any clues.
Out of curiosity we looked up the item on Amazon. It is highly rated and expensive. Someone had clearly put effort into selecting this item for us.
We were greatly appreciative of the thoughtful gesture and wanted to thank whoever sent it to us. So, we asked around. No one admitted to it. We still don’t know who sent us the gift.
While the mystery gift giver may never be discovered, it is the unexpected gesture of kindness that is most memorable.
It reminded me of the early days in my career when I received an unexpected note of thanks at work. It was from my supervisor. She had taken the time to send me a handwritten note, thanking me for my hard work. I don’t remember the exact words, but I do remember that it wasn’t generic. She wrote specific details about things I had done. I was deeply touched.
In fact, this card of thanks from my supervisor made such an impact on me that I paid it forward when I was in leadership positions.
I baked cookies or brought in specialty chocolates for departmental meetings I hosted. When I ran a system-wide program, I hand-wrote 80+ personalized cards every year, thanking everyone who volunteered to help with the program. I too used specific details that related to that person or program.
I am not sure if the gestures had much impact. However, I do know that everyone enjoys being appreciated. I also know that I couldn’t have successfully managed these programs or departments without the time, effort, and support of everyone who was working with me. It was a team effort, and they continued to give their best year after year.
As many of us know, no program or work environment is successful without ongoing support and appreciation from both the leader and from team members.
Appreciation can be small. In fact, smaller, personalized, and consistent gestures are more memorable than a bigger gift given once.
In turn, these consistent gestures create an environment of kindness and positivity where people genuinely enjoy coming to work.
As a challenge this week, I encourage you to consider opportunities where you can strengthen your relationship with your team, partner, family, or friends. It doesn’t have to be a grand gesture or an expensive gift. It can be as simple as a brief note, email, or text thanking someone for their time or effort. It will only take a few minutes to do, but I guarantee it will have a lasting impact.
