🧡 𝗞𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝗨𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲

Let me start from the end and work my way back.

Before we parted ways, Kok-Sin Koh, now a Director at Singapore Polytechnic, shared a poignant story from his days managing the service team at NTUC FairPrice. Part of his job was to handle the challenging cases that his team couldn’t resolve. 

One day, an elderly retiree pleaded for an extension on his vouchers. The company had just put an end to extensions, but this retiree depended on the voucher for his upcoming week. 

In a moment of inspired empathy, Kok-Sin thought, “How can I help while following the rules?” He devised a clever solution: he replaced the voucher with cash, ensuring the cash register was still balanced, and the retiree could buy his essentials the next week. A perfect blend of rule-following, creativity to find a workaround, and kindness!

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗞𝗼𝗸-𝗦𝗶𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗜 𝗺𝗲𝘁:

Years ago, I was at an NTUC FairPrice supermarket, trying to select the perfect oranges for Chinese New Year. A friendly worker in uniform, busy sorting orange boxes, offered his help to me and then to everyone around. 

Delighted by his service, I asked, “Who is your manager? I’d love to commend your excellent service.”

To my surprise, he handed me his business card and said, “I am the group director of service. Today, I’m undercover to better understand our customers’ and our devoted employees’ needs and challenges so we can help our employees deliver great service.”

We connected on LinkedIn, and nearly ten years later, we met again for a morning walk and breakfast. 

Over breakfast, I shared my latest research on effective appreciation, the art of giving feedback, and how small acts of kindness can dramatically improve employee motivation, retention, engagement, stress reduction, absenteeism, and burnout. I collect real-life stories as part of this research.

Kok-Sin then regaled me with the story I began with.

Thank you for reading. If you have a real-life good story about appreciation or small acts of kindness at your workplace that made a difference, please share it with me for my research.

Personal Insight

One of the most rewarding aspects of my work as a keynote speaker is witnessing the transformative power of appreciation. When I facilitate workshops or deliver keynotes, I often create a space for leaders to share their personal experiences of feeling valued. These stories are incredibly powerful, resonating with the audience and inspiring them to prioritize gratitude in their own lives.

By weaving together personal anecdotes and practical strategies, I empower leaders to cultivate a culture of appreciation within their organizations. It’s truly inspiring to see how even small gestures of kindness can have a profound impact on team morale and productivity.