Do you know what the sweetest and most important sound is in any language? According to Dale Carnegie “A person’s name is to him or her the sweetest and most important sound in any language.” Using someone’s name in a conversation creates value, respect, recognition and increases connectivity.
Some people instantly make us feel important and valued. They are normally those people who light up a room just by walking in. They build and maintain solid relationships, positively influence the people around them and consistently make people feel better about themselves and leave anyone they interact with feeling more positive and energised. They are the kind of people everyone wants to be around.
Thinking about these kinds of people and the impact that they have, here is what I believe they do to make people feel valued and special:
- Use the other person’s name
- Actively listen
- Give their undivided attention
- Provide them with recognition
- Ask for their opinion
- Communicate well and often
- Show appreciation
- Invest in their own continued development
- Challenge others
- Reward others on an individualised basis
- Be authentic and transparent
Making someone feel valued and special helps us and the people around us personally. As Nelson Mandela famously said: “What counts in life is not the mere fact that we have lived. It is what difference we have made to the lives of others that will determine the significance of the life we lead.”
However encouragement and recognition also makes a significant impact on the organisations that we work within. According to Gallup, workplace recognition makes employees feel valued and motivated. This ultimately increases engagement, retention and productivity. When we feel supported and cared about, we feel more empowered to do our best work.
