In my younger years, whenever I heard “It is better to give than to receive,” I thought it related to birthday and Christmas presents. Now—because with age comes wisdom—I understand that giving has a much broader meaning. Throughout my career I have been blessed to receive many forms of recognition: certificates, plaques, clocks, awards, and company-branded merchandise. I am proud to display the items on my walls, shelves and as I wear them. While they were always graciously received, most were accepted without any thought of the effort put forth by the giver. This lack of insight can mainly be attributed to youth and inexperience. Much as a child would prefer to receive a present than give one, my younger self sought recognition much more than provided it. This was probably a quest for validation, something needed to build a young professional’s confidence. Over time my “recognition bank” has been suitably filled, so while receiving recognition is still very much appreciated, my need for it has diminished.
As I have advanced through my career, I inevitably found myself in leadership roles. As my responsibilities grew, I was provided much assistance, so I invariably conveyed my gratitude by recognizing my teammates, coworkers, and fellow professionals. The more freely and frequently I acknowledged people’s efforts, the greater joy I felt. It is truly priceless to see and hear people’s appreciation by simply saying “thank you” to them, or providing them a letter of acknowledgement or a small gift. I now truly understand why it is better to give than to receive.