Recognise This! – We all have superpowers, if we choose to use them.
Trick or treat! Who’s ready for Halloween? Is your workplace one that encourages costumes? Yesterday, Globoforce hosted a party for the kids of our employees. As someone who tends to receive very few trick-or-treaters at my home, I loved seeing all the cute costumes and meeting the families of my colleagues. Today, however, is all about the adults. We are having a costume contest this afternoon and, yes, I am participating.
My costume, you ask? I am GloboGirl – fighting the injustice of ingratitude everywhere! I’ve always wanted to be a superhero and now’s my chance (cape, mask and all). Superheroes have fascinated me since I was child, especially these aspects:
- Alter Ego – The mild mannered “Clark Kent” to “Superman.” To hide themselves in plain sight, superheroes adopt a personality diametrically opposed to their super selves. Yet, somehow, the alter ego still reflects the essence of the superhero inside. Clark Kent is a journalist in search of the truth.
- Super Power – Some superheroes have their powers bestowed upon them in otherworldly fashion (Superman, Wonder Woman, Spiderman). Others create their own (Batman, Ironman). But all hone and develop those powers or abilities for the betterment of their communities.
Here’s my Halloween “treat” for you. We all have alter egos and superpowers. We all sometimes hide our best selves for various reasons. We all have talents or skills we can bring forward. The “trick” is in wanting to let our super-selves and our super powers shine.
Today, I’m bringing out GloboGirl. But in reality, I always have the ability to fight ingratitude by simply noticing others around me and pausing to sincerely appreciate them and their efforts. It sounds simple (and it is), but the impact is quite powerful. We all have the power to change someone’s perspective, to make their day brighter, to help others feel a greater sense of value and contribution.
The injustice of ingratitude is real. We “trick” our employees all too often by not giving them valuable, timely, authentic feedback and appreciation. Instead, we need to “treat” them with the gift of gratitude. Weall need to treat each other with appreciation and recognition.
What’s your superpower at work?