The Crave
Weekly tips and stories that will help you do your job and make you smile (or groan).
By Julie Alexander February 10, 2022
Why Self-Love Belongs in the Workplace
People have become a little stingy with their declarations of affection. Not just in romantic love, but in general. Maybe it’s because we’ve been stuck in our home-office bubbles for too long. Maybe it’s because we’ve become shy. Maybe we’ve just forgotten the value of an authentic compliment. I think it’s mostly because we’re scared. There’s something about giving compliments or telling people we like them that feels vulnerable. But you know what? I love seeing someone I care about light up when I tell them how amazing they are. That alone is worth feeling a little silly or uncomfortable.
I think that everyone — manager or not — should schedule time each month to jot down some kudos for their team members.
Recognize great work, let people know they’re doing well, and do it publicly as much as possible.
This edition of The Crave was originally going to be a love letter to all of the content people out there: the content managers, copywriters, content marketers, designers, content strategists. The folks who pour so much of themselves into their work every day and don’t always get the appreciation they deserve. But the truth is, I don’t know you. Not personally. I could write a corny Valentine’s Day card for you and hope to be inspirational, but it wouldn’t hit deep like if someone who really knew you had written it for you specifically. So instead of me writing a love letter to you, I want to encourage you to write one for yourself. Pat yourself on the back. Tell yourself what you’re doing well. Let yourself know how much you appreciate you — and mean it. And then consider writing a couple of notes for the people closest to you. Let your direct colleagues know what they do that makes you smile — how do they inspire you? I think that everyone — manager or not — should schedule time each month to jot down some kudos for their team members. Recognize great work, let people know they’re doing well, and do it publicly as much as possible. It doesn’t have to stop there though. What about your customers? How about colleagues in other teams who you see doing great things? Heck, I’m gonna go out on a limb here and suggest we can even do it for our partners, family, and friends. If you ask me, we should spend at least as much time building each other up as we spend giving critical feedback. And if you ask me, we shouldn’t ever wait for Valentine’s Day to tell people how we feel.
Let’s talk about it together!
Share your thoughts on LinkedIn using #thecravediscussion This week’s topic: How do you show the people in your life that you value and appreciate them? What makes you feel valued and appreciated?
Currently craving
- This episode of Perfectly Content, where Tom Hitch shares his secrets for building a LinkedIn audience.
- I’ve been getting back into thrift shopping of late, so this article on Content Arbitrage felt particularly timely. It goes into quite a lot of depth on content repurposing, dividing it up into curation, summary, and translation.
- This podcast episode, “The Art & Science of Audience Growth.” I have been blessed with a story-loving boss, but I know we’re not all that lucky. Check out this engaging discussion on how to fight back against story haters and how to avoid the biggest content strategy mistake people make.
Julie van der Weele
Head of Brand & Comms
About the author
When I’m not thinking up B2B marketing strategies and processes, you’ll find me in the kitchen, at the yoga studio, or in my favorite chair with a cat and a book.
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