Just 3 months ago, I was finishing a 9-month developmental assignment as a front-line leader in the Johnson Space Center’s Engineering Directorate. While working with the leaders in one particular organization, we determined a “retreat” was needed. Now, a retreat is normally considered a time away from normal activities, often devoted to reflection. I argued that we should instead pursue an “advance”, which Webster describes as “to move forward; to make progress; and to continue in a process of development.”
Whatever term we used, we wanted to build a stronger team, create a more positive work environment, and build a culture of appreciation throughout the organization. To accomplish those goals, we turned to The 5 Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace by Gary Chapman and Paul White.
I thought this book would be a perfect fit because just a few weeks earlier, I picked it up from our local library and was impressed with their structure as well as the book’s “Motivating By Appreciation” (MBA) self-assessment. So, we agreed to give it a shot.
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