Replying to LO25749 --
On December 5, Bill Braun wrote, in response to Peggy's earlier words,
>Is it possible that appreciation would not be needed if people were
>fulfilling their purposes through their work, the work was meaningful
>and they knew they made a difference?
I don't believe so. For your "possibility" to be true, I would have to
assume that people at work, regardless of preference or temperament, are
all entirely self-fulfilling monads who neither need nor desire the
presence of others. Perhaps this is overstating a bit (assume the grin
here!), but I certainly know that I, and others I know well, are sustained
and rejuvenated by the appreciation of others. I admit, even glory in it:
I am not "complete unto myself." For my work to meaningful, it
necessarily involves engagement with others; and without response/feedback
of all sorts, including appreciation, it's not possible for me to know
whether I made a difference or not.
As readers of the list may know, there's currently a re-search-based
approach to organizational development that's called, "Appreciative
Inquiry," that points out the power in just what Peggy suggested in her
original posting.
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