Acknowledgement Enlarges
Knowing how to use acknowledgement and to receive it is one of the most overlooked and misunderstood keys to success. What is acknowledgement? Acknowledgement is heart to heart communication.
For many individuals, whether they be self-employed business owners, solo professionals or entrepreneurs, understanding acknowledgement and its power can be critical to their small business success. In my personal business coaching practice I collaborate with small business owners and individuals to harness this power.
Keys To Success: Acknowledgement versus Compliment
Acknowledgements, as pointed out earlier, are heart to heart communications. Very often they get confused with compliments. Compliments are about choices. “I like the shirt you are wearing.” That is about a choice. That’s nice but it doesn’t have the impact of an acknowledgement.
When you give or receive acknowledgement it is about “who” you are. Yes, “who” you are is about the choices you make but the focus in an acknowledgement, unlike a choice, is about something in your core. For example someone may say or you may say to them; “I really liked how you handled yourself in a very difficult situation.”
Your response is one of two standard responses. The first can be along the lines of: “That’s my job.” “I did what I had to do.”
The second can be along the lines of: “Thank you very much. I appreciate your kind words.”
Keys To Success: How To Receive Acknowledgement
Let’s look at these two standard responses. Most people think that they are good at receiving acknowledgements. The truth is quite the opposite.
I have observed in my business coaching practice over the years a large number of very good people, in this case many small business owners, who are lose support of their employees and business associates because they don’t know how to receive an acknowledgement.
Let’s look at the first standard response of: “That’s my job. I did what I had to do.” Here someone has given them heart to heart communication and they pretty much dismiss it. I can promise you that the person who gave the acknowledgement is much less likely to give another one and try to lift that person up.
Too often, small business owners get caught up in the “doing” instead of the “being.” When they forget or are dismissive of the “being” that gave the acknowledgement they put up an invisible barrier that discourages people from supporting them more.
Over time the small business owner can become isolated. Things can start happening with the people around him and he doesn’t understand why. Moving forward, let those who acknowledge you know how much you appreciate them taking the time to lift you up.
Keys To Success: How To Give An Acknowledgement
There are a couple of rules here.
1. Your acknowledgement must be genuine, honest and heartfelt.
2. It should be given without an expectation of anything in return.
When you know how to receive and to give acknowledgements you have developed a skill that will serve you well throughout life. Others will lift you up and you will lift them up. Learn and practice the art of acknowledgement as one of your most important keys to success.
