Category Archives: Cultural

Cultural

Changing Corporate Culture – A Three Step Process of Recognition and Praise

Saying “thank you” is a special art. When someone does something that we want to compliment or are grateful for, many of us give a common passing “good job, I appreciate it” remark. A simple thank you can become profound recognition by following a three-fold method of giving thanks:

Step one

– make the general remark that you are used to making.

“That was a very good presentation you made, Rob.”

Step two

– tell the person specifically what you liked, what behavior you are especially trying to reinforce. “I particularly liked the way you used humor to make a point about the changes we’ll have to make in the department.”

Step three

– generalize from this specific instance to a personality trait or character strength. ” Your sense of humor always gets us through rough times. I sure admire that.”

In I Saw What You Did & I Know Who You Are, Janis Allen, a consultant from Atlanta, Georgia, calls using a positive statement about a specific performance- a “lead-in to universal praise.” “Think of it this way,” she says. “If you can name a specific behavior that someone does or has done, and go on to say, ‘This conveys your professionalism, your diligence, your eye for detail,’ then you’ve done a good job of reinforcing. You are telling that person, ‘This specific event is indicative of something I’m proud of about your habits and I like the way you run your life.’ Who couldn’t use hearing a remark like that once in a while.'”

A smile or a compliment can go a long way. These simple acts are the foundations of true recognition. Phase one recognition is AWARENESS – letting someone know that you know that they exist – that who they are makes a difference, that they matter, that they are important. And, that’s at the heart of what we all want most of in life..

APPRECIATION is phase two of Recognition – when we let someone know we are grateful for what they have done. If we use the three-fold approach of expressing gratitude, highlighting specific behavior and then generalizing to a universal quality of the person, we have gone a long way in helping to change those negative imprints. People must first believe in their own quality before they can produce quality work.

Phase three is ACKNOWLEDGEMENT. When our compliments and thank you’s are universalized to a person’s qualities or character, we’ve begun to understand acknowledgement. Actually, the acknowledgment phase is essential for recognition to have any lasting effect. Becoming master acknowledgers requires understanding human nature, human behavior, and what motivates people. We feel acknowledged when we can say, “they really know me; they ‘get’ who I am.” When this goes a step further, and we really let people know that they are worthwhile individuals, we have moved into the phase of Recognition known as ACCEPTANCE. It is at this phase that recognition progresses from being something nice to do to a life-changing appreciation of the uniqueness of each individual.

Cultural

An Exploratory Look at Seattle’s Coffee Culture

In the past decade, Seattle and coffee have become synonymous in that Seattle sparked the growing coffee culture in the United States. Of course, we know that Seattle is the birthplace of many large retail coffee chains that now dominate the US and can be found on one or even two street corners within every city intersection.

Starbucks can be enjoyed in any city in the United States, but Seattle is the actual birthplace for this commercial coffee giant that has made its stamp on the worldwide coffee market. The coffee culture in Seattle started in a small coffee shop in 1971 in the Pike Place Market, and still today, many visitors travel all over the world to come to this origin of America’s coffee culture. However, Seattle still has a number of coffee chains that they have bragging rights to that have made their impact on the entire nation. Some examples are Tully’s and Seattle’s Best, as well as an astounding number of impressive local coffee shops throughout the city.

Any tourists or natives to the city can find fragrant aromas, unique coffee shop designs, and even a wide range of latte art within the coffee shop selections. Seattle also gives you the opportunity to explore the city with a harbor view, starting with the Pacific Place mall downtown for shopping selections. Tourists who are interested can also visit the Space Needle, which was constructed in 1962 for the World Fair. There is also the offering of the Pacific Science Center, which has a planetarium and an IMAX theater.

The point of the matter is that there is much to do and see in Seattle, on top of the diverse and impressive coffee culture already existing. There is no argument that coffee is a staple of the city of Seattle, including the fact that a recent study tested the sewer discharge water to find that it had elevated levels of caffeine. Visitors to Seattle can also expect a unique language when it comes to coffee, such as ordering a decaffeinated latte with skim milk in a cup with handles is called the Skinny Harmless on a Leash. If any of this lingo seems intimidating, be sure to ask your friendly barista for help in deciphering the coffee or espresso menu!

For any of those that visit Seattle in the recent future, you may be surprised to find that Starbucks is no longer the defining factor. There are a number of local and widely popular coffee shops in the Seattle area that have not yet spread to the rest of the United States. Starbucks is a nationwide and even worldwide phenomenon, but it is no longer representative of the coffee wares that Seattle has to offer. For any coffee fans interested in travel, Seattle is definitely the place to visit because you can experience firsthand sipping a delicious cup of Joe in a number of unique coffee establishments. This is your opportunity to delve right into an established coffee culture that celebrates one-of-a-kind Java!