Speaker 1: 0:00

I just want to take the time to thank Clark, my podcast co-host, for all the good things he brings to every podcast that I couldn't do specifically. I suck at creating content and driving compelling podcast material, and without Clark I truly believe this podcast would have ended on episode six. So thanks, Clark, for everything you do. Thank you, Bruce. How's that? How's that? I?

Speaker 2: 0:33

feel really appreciated because of you, because I am words of affirmation, which is the first appreciation language in the workplace.

Speaker 1: 0:43

That's your thing and that's what we talked about last episode, so if you didn't listen to that, go back. Actually, there's two episodes on our series of appreciation, so go listen to those. This is the third. On the second topic of this series, welcome back to Corporate Strategy Podcast. Put in an email. I'm Bruce and I'm Clark and let's get into it. We did a survey in our Discord, which you haven't seen yet, have you Clark? No, I haven't seen the survey.

Speaker 2: 1:14

I did not participate in the survey because I was cute. Well, one I was, I was.

Speaker 1: 1:18

I was a broad.

Speaker 2: 1:19

Actually, no, no, no wait. I think I popped in there. I think I popped in there and did something because I wanted to participate.

Speaker 1: 1:25

I'm not okay, well, thank you but I'll figure it out I appreciate your participation.

Speaker 1: 1:28

I mean, to be fair, you did make the survey, I just copy pasted it. So in the on our discord, which you can join by going into the show notes and clicking join our discord, uh, we have a marketing you channel which is focused on uh, sharing job ideas and and sharing you know personality types. I thought this is kind of the perfect place to put a survey about which appreciation language you feel most valued at Interesting. So, of the choices, if this is your first episode listening, you can go with words of affirmation, which is our last episode. Acts of service, quality time, which we're talking about today, tangible gifts or appropriate physical touch, and do you know what the most picked?

Speaker 2: 2:06

one was clark if you tell me physical touch, I'm going to flip my leg. Oh I would not.

Speaker 1: 2:11

I would have quit the podcast like 169. It would have been the last episode. I would have shut down the discord because we have nothing but freaks in there and you would have never heard from bruce and clark again. Thank god, uh, no way no one, literally no one.

Speaker 2: 2:30

Interesting, interesting, okay, I I think access service might be first. Then that's my hunch, you are 100.

Speaker 1: 2:37

Correct access service had seven votes. Words of affirmation Well, six votes, sorry, because there's always one. So words of affirmation two Quality time none. Tangible gifts one and none for physical touch Appropriate physical touch. So thank you to our Discord community for participating in the poll. It's good information. I myself am an acts of service person, so I get it, I agree, and I'm excited to get of service person. So I get it, I agree, and I'm excited to get to that episode. But that's not what we're talking about today. You know it'll be interesting.

Speaker 2: 3:12

Yeah, unfortunately we're not quite there yet. It'll be interesting like after we explain them, because I can tell you like reading this book, I definitely have changed my thinking on some of these so much so that I can actually kind of see physical touch. We're going to get there. But spoiler.

Speaker 1: 3:29

I think it's going to be a really good discussion and we might change some people's minds we're going to run a poll after the series ends maybe a couple weeks after someone has a chance to listen to the episodes and we'll do the same questions plus a. Did you change your answer? So I'm very curious, once we get through this, to see how this shakes out. But today you're gonna have to educate me because again I'm the moron in the room. Here. You are the expert. What the heck are we talking about?

Speaker 2: 3:56

All right. Well, before we dive in directly into it, we did get some feedback, some not so positive feedback, on how we intro the topic One. Some people said we were too goof and not taking it seriously enough. Oh who, someone said that.

Speaker 1: 4:10

I got some anonymous feedback Okay.

Speaker 2: 4:14

Listen, this is, people take this seriously and you guys are not introing it with enough importance of how impactful it could be, and so I'm really excited because I think this person could have a lot of feedback.

Speaker 1: 4:24

but I wanted to clarify. I actually don't disagree with that feedback at all, so agree, I would say we definitely were you should have a better collection.

Speaker 2: 4:32

We definitely were skeptical in the beginning of like how is this going to go?

Speaker 1: 4:36

So I was giving some clarification points.

Speaker 2: 4:39

Yeah, I'm going to give you a little bit of clarification that I was given one, the test that we referenced. So there is like with this book there's an official test because of course you know, books have to like sell things and somehow make money if they're independent companies, so they sell. Basically a test. If you buy the book you get like a free code and that is like the official test. That does not include, or did not originally include, physical touch, but they added it after because they got a lot of feedback that actually said you know what I can actually see this one and that's why my mind has been shifting a little bit on that appreciation language, which is interesting. So now the test includes that. So the test that we took was just something random on the internet that was found. So what we took and what it gave us the results on might not be accurate and we'll find the accurate ones so we can actually tell what we are, so we can take it. So that was one clarification.

Speaker 1: 5:26

The second.

Speaker 2: 5:27

Thing that I thought was important that we didn't really do in the beginning. The intro of this topic is really all this book is about is it's a ways to communicate appreciation and encouragement to others in the workplace, and it's not just about like retention or like people being happy to work together, but it's truly about appreciating others and encouraging others, and so it had like three points that I actually thought were really good. When you think about this in the workplace, certain individuals will actually value one language as their primary and usually will have a secondary and sometimes they even appreciate a third, but usually the first two are like their main things that dominate the majority of the appreciation that they feel in the workplace. The second is the most effective communication of appreciation.

Speaker 2: 6:12

Encouragement happens when the message is sent in the language of appreciation most valued by the receiver, which I think is pretty obvious, because obviously you know you want to give it in the way that they want to receive it. However, just like in relationship love languages, sometimes you actually want to give the same appreciation that you appreciate, if that makes sense. So it's only natural to be like I like getting gifts, so I'm going to give Bruce a gift and you might be like I don't care about gifts, but that's the natural human instinct thing to do, but it's obviously not the right thing. You need to think outwardly, not inwardly, as you're thinking about showing appreciation.

Speaker 1: 6:48

Small aside. I've experienced that before where people would send me gifts and I would. I would get actually like upset, like please don't send me gifts, I don't like this. It's like I have to tell I'm like I'm sorry, I really don't like this. So like please don't do it and like I get that. Okay, please don't do it and I get that.

Speaker 2: 7:02

Yeah, yeah. And then some people just don't like clutter. It's like stop giving me, just random crap, I don't want this. Where am I supposed to put this? And you feel bad for throwing it away. I totally get that. And then the third note is messages of appreciation, encouragement and language is not valued by the recipient, will tend to miss the mark, like you just said. I mean, but it's like if you don't appreciate that and someone doesn't, they're like man. I made Bruce feel great. I got him this little plushy thing I found on the internet. That was the exact, you know, movie character he liked. Like actually you hated that, and it's missing the mark of showing appreciation, even though you're trying to do a nice thing. So it's really important you think outwardly and not inwardly, as you're showing appreciation, and that's why we're going through these, so you can try to, at the end, understand and observe what is their appreciation and try to discover that, if you will, so that way you can communicate it properly.

Speaker 2: 7:51

So a couple of clarifications, but I thought it was all really good kind of feedback and things to bring up at the beginning of this.

Speaker 1: 7:57

Appreciate those clarifications and appreciate the feedback from our anonymous donor. A question that you might or might not have the answer to is appreciation language in the workplace the same as appreciation language irl?

Speaker 2: 8:15

or is it different? You're thinking, is it different? Yeah, I think it's different because I feel like you don't think it is, uh, I think I, I absolutely think it is.

Speaker 1: 8:26

Um, you know, when I, when I meet my friends and fam irl, I give them a hug, you know I'll run my fingers through your hair. You know, whatever it takes to make sure that you know I appreciate you. But if someone ever did that to me at work, oh I'd call hr. So like I think there absolutely is a difference between what you prefer professionally and what you prefer in all other non-professional situations. I just throwing that out there as a question and uh, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Speaker 2: 9:00

That's interesting and, by the way, I want everyone to know that even before this podcast, he also told me he would put his hands through my hair. I just want everyone to know that that actually happened. And now he's bringing it up here like it's the first time. It's the second time in like a 10-minute span.

Speaker 1: 9:17

It won't be the last time we're not going to do this episode with at least like two more mentions of fingers and hair.

Speaker 2: 9:27

I'm so scared. I actually, you know, something interesting that I was thinking about, too is, like, after we get through these, I think the final episode of this we should go through some of these afterthoughts, like things that came to mind like is it different? Um, I had some other things like is it kind of skewed based on the type of job you do? A little bit, or like your compensation level, potentially, I don't know. And then I also had how do you actually discover your co-workers appreciation language. I think that'll be really important to talk about, because that will help you kind of figure out how to implement something like this in your day-to-day life.

Speaker 1: 10:00

Love it.

Speaker 2: 10:01

I think it's a great idea. You're ready to jump in. You want to start with quality time.

Speaker 1: 10:06

I'm ready, let's do it. You know we spend a lot of time together.

Speaker 2: 10:11

We sure do, and I appreciate it. I appreciate the time we spend together. Yeah, yeah, I would agree.

Speaker 2: 10:17

I would agree it's good time. Quality time, like personally, is pretty easy to understand. It's like we spend time together doing this. We also spend time together doing other things. You spend time together with family, like people who really appreciate it kind of make a point to spend time with others.

Speaker 2: 10:34

But in the workplace, like I think there's different aspects of quality time, or I think the book said something around like they coined it, as dialects of quality time and I'll give you a few, because I think it'll be something around like they coined it, as dialects of quality time and I'll give you a few because I think it'll be interesting to kind of talk through them and some I didn't even really think about. But the couple that they named specifically were focused attention, quality conversation, a shared experience, working with coworkers on a task or small group dialogue, working with coworkers on a task or small group dialogue, and all of those are importantly, you know, distinctual, because you might want quality time but not in the sense of like I need more one-on-one time with Bruce, but it's like I actually like I would love if we went and bowled together as a shared experience and that is way more fun for me and something I would really enjoy to bond with my coworkers and I would feel appreciated.

Speaker 1: 11:28

So interesting because now I'm starting to, I already agree with anonymous donors feedback. But now I'm like, well, yes, absolutely, that test was botched, because I love doing one on one or or small group projects, either virtually or in person, where, like, we're going to get together and we're going to, you know, all of our brains are going to work on a project at the same time in a room, all things firing, like. I did that yesterday with my teammates and we accomplished some great stuff and I felt good afterwards, I'm sure. Well, I hope they felt good too, hope they appreciated the quality time. But, like, that to me is great and I I do like doing that sort of thing. But going bowling with my coworkers makes me want to look for a way to injure myself so I never have to do it again.

Speaker 2: 12:18

Yeah, yeah, you could. I think that's a really good point. It's like, when you look at it, it's interesting because it's almost like a shared thing you're doing, it's a shared experience, or like working on a direct task, but you basically are delineating. I want to keep it work related, not get it outside of work. And like that is an important distinction, because some people just like to go grab a beer, blow off steam, but I think what you're saying is like.

Speaker 2: 12:43

I agree with that, even though quality time wasn't ranked high on the test that we took, which now we know is botched, so we won't reference it too much anymore. But I do love exactly what you're saying, like my one on ones that I spend like workshopping something with someone I feel like are some of my favorites because, like we just get to brainstorm together and I don't do that a lot with smart people Every single day. It's like I normally just attending meetings, project updates, making decisions, whatever, but actually like doing a workshop with somebody and putting our brains together is one of the coolest things. I think that is a general incorporate. It's just a ton of fun that's.

Speaker 1: 13:19

That's. My favorite kind of work is working session work, like you get one or you get two or three like good brains in a room and you solve a problem and you walk. It's so funny because usually when those things happen, you walk out having accomplished something which you might not have been able to do in that same amount of time on your own. I almost guarantee you wouldn't be able to do it. And like the result is always better because it's more brains in the problem, but you're not segmenting it over email or a chat or like it's it's real time, like that's. That's the good stuff for me.

Speaker 2: 13:51

Yeah, yeah, that's the type of activity I always talked about, like managing your energy, not necessarily your time, and it's like I know I get tired in the afternoon and having a session like that in the afternoon, I'm like I'm so energized because I'm like that was incredibly fun. It was high energy, we were productive in what we were trying to do and I feel, like, to your point, like we came out with a better result than I could have done on my own, either because we got further or because, like the power of our brains together, the product was actually more refined that we ended with, which is one of the coolest things to do. So I'm right there with you.

Speaker 1: 14:21

Yeah, that's my favorite kind of quality time.

Speaker 2: 14:24

Yeah, yeah, I agree, and it's interesting too because and I think about this because I have a relatively large team, I think I have like 16, 17 people now, and so the fact that you don't know is scary, just by the way.

Speaker 2: 14:37

Yeah, we're actively hiring one person, so I can't remember did we officially send an offer or not? Hopefully they accept. Um, but I was thinking about like sometimes I view employees of mine as like needy if they're like, hey, can we like just jam on this for a while, because I'm like, yeah, you can do it on your own and I don't have the time to like jam with 17 people every single day on something like you got to find other people to do that with. And then I, when I think about it more, it's like it's probably because their appreciation language is like getting that time to work together on something like they would feel appreciated if I did that. Because I'm not taking the time to do it, they're probably feeling less appreciated, which is really interesting to think about.

Speaker 1: 15:15

That was. That was my next question is you know, I clearly like quality time or jam sessions as like a, as a sub qualification of quality time. Like quality time or jam sessions as like a as a sub qualification of quality time, but like what, if I like this, but the person I don't know or that I'm working with, I don't know if they like this or not Like. What's the strategy there? How do you, how do you ensure that my appreciation isn't clashing with their appreciation?

Speaker 2: 16:03

no-transcript. Okay, I feel like they're interested in this. Or if they're just hold up on their own every day, it's like they probably wouldn't like something like this.

Speaker 1: 16:13

Do you think it's inappropriate, like if we ever find a good test, to run it with our teams?

Speaker 2: 16:20

That's the hard part, I think and the book even talks about that Is it like? It feels almost like it's a task or a chore to like force people to do it? But you know this, you've attended leadership trainings. It's like they always get you to do like the Myers-Briggs or the strength assessments, or like you're always forced to do those or whatever. True colors is another one, and then you bring it to like the session and you put it on a little plaque in front of you so everyone knows if you're red, blue, green, whatever it's like they kind of do that yeah, I've been in a few of those and I'm like I still don't really understand the color thing.

Speaker 2: 16:55

But it helps you like engage with people, so like I get that and it might be interesting in some settings where it's totally appropriate. Um, but sometimes asking is awkward, like me going up to you and be like, hey, do you really feel appreciated when we jam together? Like it's just an awkward question.

Speaker 1: 17:11

That's why I'm wondering, like, if I approach it from a, like assuming we can find a good survey, or like a good test, like if I said, hey, I took this and I learned something about myself and I will just straight up tell you, you know, for me it's uh, words of, or it's um acts of service, dang it, acts of service, thank you, it's acts of service and words of affirmation for me. Uh, so you guys know, like what I like, I would love if you took the test so I know what you like. That way I don't find myself doing the wrong thing for you. Like, you know, if I approach it from a this way, I never put you through something you don't want to go through. Like, is that the approach?

Speaker 2: 17:51

Yeah, yeah, yeah, it's interesting. It's like do you do that upfront and you just ask your team to do it, so you're all kind of on the same page, and then some people will be like, ah, this is some you know, stupid woo, woo, new age type stuff, why do I need to do this? But some people might get really engaged and be like you know what? I think this would be awesome. And you try to figure out. And when people ask, hey, you're really great at connecting with people and working with others, how do you do it? Then you can kind of naturally bring the topic up. But I don't know. I'm kind of with you. I'd rather just ask my whole team it's not that big, you're like guys. It will take like five minutes.

Speaker 1: 18:29

Take the test. If you don't feel comfortable doing it, don't do it, but like, yeah, this is, this is for me to help you when it comes to how we recognize and appreciate you.

Speaker 2: 18:39

Yeah yeah, I agree. Yeah, another couple of strategies they gave and we 'll dive into it more towards the end but is like, obviously, observing is one. If someone's always asking like, hey, how did? How was the report that I gave you? Like they're probably looking for words of affirmation to be like, yeah, you did great, that was so awesome. Like they're fishing for that compliment a little bit. And the other thing is also to listen to their complaints.

Speaker 2: 19:00

I guess someone's kind of talking and be like man, this person just really won't make time to like meet with me and talk about this. They're probably quality time. You know they want to meet with others and they appreciate when other people take the time to meet with them. So it gave you some really like interesting ways to handle it. And I think the last one, which I thought was interesting too, was ask how they're encouraged. Be like, hey, when you're feeling discouraged or you're feeling like you can't do something, what really excites you or encourages you to kind of pick things back up and get started again, and that might be an interesting way to ask it where it doesn't feel so awkward. Yeah.

Speaker 1: 19:32

I like that.

Speaker 2: 19:33

Yeah, I liked all those avenues because I was like that's interesting. But to your point, like with a big team, it's hard to observe and like figure out exactly. Like figuring out which of the five are you and I'm going to put post-its on a wall and kind of map where Bruce sits, like based on your day-to-day interactions, it just sounds too complicated. Just saying hey, take a five-minute test, sounds way easier I'm.

Speaker 1: 19:54

I'm far too stupid slash lazy to be able to do that for my team. Yeah, so I know I gotta, I gotta, use the test I feel, like I'm literally thinking about my team and I'm like I think I could. I think I could tell you exactly what each of them liked.

Speaker 2: 20:08

So yeah, maybe I'm half as stupid as I thought I was I feel like both of our offices, like we're gonna look like charlie from always sunny and the mean like where he's got all the red lines going everywhere.

Speaker 1: 20:23

But it's not Pepe Sylvia, it's the appreciation language.

Speaker 2: 20:26

Yes, it's each of your team members and their appreciation language. So, going back to quality time, yeah, I was trying to think about like focused attention, like some people just want like focused time to work with you on things and I can tell you, like my direct reports, there's some that I can tackle everything I need in like two weeks with them in like a 30 minute session, and then there's some where it just they, they want to talk about everything. It's like I need a couple of hours with you every week to like work through things.

Speaker 1: 20:56

And for me cause.

Speaker 2: 20:57

I don't think this is my top one, like it's hard for me Cause I'm like I can prioritize my time doing something else, but of course I want to be empathetic, I want to listen to them, I want to be there for them, so like I make the time. But it's really interesting because this helped me figure out. It's like this person just wants focused attention with me to work through things, and that's how they're going to feel appreciated, and when I get more distant, they probably feel less appreciated.

Speaker 1: 21:22

So what are the breakdowns? For quality time? It's focused attention.

Speaker 2: 21:26

Focused attention, quality conversation, which I take as could be just more than surface level of like man. Yeah, the weather man so crappy today, but it's like actually like in depth. Yeah, I heard your dog was going to college, like when's it supposed to graduate, kind of thing, exactly. Yeah, like what color down are you giving him, what kind of treats? Yeah, I think they would appreciate that he's getting the good boy.

Speaker 2: 21:48

Uh, scholarship yeah the scholarship full ride, full ride, good boy. Scholarship. Uh, shared experience. So this is like something that you'd go and do together like, okay, full ride, good boy. Scholarship. Shared experience so this is like something that you'd go and do together, like bowling, grab a beer, like shared, something that you're doing together, working with coworkers on a task, and then small group dialogue.

Speaker 1: 22:12

How is working with coworkers on tasks? Not I, uh, I guess quality conversation are you thinking like shared experience yeah, well, yeah, but I mean, shared experience that's, that's like bowling, right, like so I guess. Yeah, working with co-workers and tasks, the shared experience work addition and what was the last one right um, that is small group dialogue so we get a group together but you're not necessarily working on something.

Speaker 2: 22:36

You're just like water cooler, chatting people okay, let's get together as a team it's my team every week.

Speaker 1: 22:41

Yeah, that's what we literally do that every week yeah, yeah, yeah, it's funny.

Speaker 2: 22:46

I used to have a a weekly or bi-weekly team meeting and I got feedback from my team. They're just like hey, yeah, this feels like it was mainly my more senior managers. They're like feels like it's too productive, like we're kind of just getting around and chatting, like do you think we can make this monthly?

Speaker 1: 23:00

I'm like yeah, yeah, absolutely.

Speaker 2: 23:01

This is for you guys, so I don't care how frequent it is. And then they all got feedback from their teams that they wanted to have the 30 minute bi-weekly meeting because they appreciated getting to just chat, that's funny, that's funny funny yeah, I, I know my team loves our weekly team meeting because it's where all the tea comes out.

Speaker 1: 23:20

So it's like, oh, I gotta, I gotta know, I gotta know what's up.

Speaker 2: 23:24

So like that, you want to know what's up you gotta go to that meeting, yeah and that helps you connect them like human level too, because what you said is like you're taking it out of work and you're kind of relating to them on a human level, because you're like everyone's feeling this and this is our opportunity to talk it together yeah, it is.

Speaker 1: 23:39

Uh, it's vegas rules in my team meeting, so yeah yeah, I like that.

Speaker 2: 23:45

Yeah, um, and then, like, the next aspect of this was to each one of these things, you know, there's a who, when, where, how, and we're kind of talking about that right now. It's like for like quality time or focused attention. It's like focused attention, quality conversation Is it us getting together and like talking about non-work stuff? Is it just spending time so you can talk about your work and things ongoing, like who needs to be involved? Where is this Like? Is this just one-on-one in an office or something? Or in a conference room? Where? So? Is it in the workplace? Is it out of the workplace? And then, how do you actually go about it? So, like what is happening throughout that conversation, and like each of these things kind of has different, each one of those of people where what they might appreciate and what they might not appreciate as much, if that makes sense.

Speaker 1: 24:33

This is really weird because, compared to last week's words of affirmation, words of affirmation was very structured, right, like it was. It was very much a. You have to acknowledge the work the person did and you have to give them like almost a little exposition on why you're giving the affirmation. It can't just be clark thanks for doing this, like it's got to be. You did this because, or like you did this and we needed it. And here's the outcome and no one else could do this. Thank god for you. You've been putting this get this earth specifically for this task. If not for you, then who?

Speaker 1: 25:09

Uh, like it was, it was very formulaic and like this is not that at all. This is very variable, right, like. Is it work related or is it not work related? Is it in the office, is it out of the office? Is it one-on-one or is it group? Like this almost feels like some. Like it is the Pepe Silvia board. Like I need to figure out, like specifically, all these different variables before I do any kind of quality time with someone, or else they might think I'm a total jerk. Yeah.

Speaker 2: 25:38

Yeah, this one for me. I was struggling too, because I'm just like man that's so many to your point, like so many variables, how can you possibly accommodate all those? And like you can't, frankly, like you really can't try and experiment with everyone to be like, okay, did they like this, did they not like this? To your point, will become the Pepe Silvia board. So you definitely can't do that and that's why I think you've got to come up with a better way to discover this one and figure out what they truly like. Two tests yeah, maybe Osama will give you two tests.

Speaker 1: 26:08

If you get quality time on test one, then you're taking a second test and I'm sorry, but that's the rules.

Speaker 2: 26:16

We'll do it together. It'll be quality time for us to do together this test.

Speaker 1: 26:20

Yeah, both, both parties have to do it in this case, because if they do it and they're like, yeah, I like pizza in a group in the office, but I'm like, and I hate pizza in the office with one on one person, like it's, like yo, we're not a fit, like this isn't going to work. We got to switch it up and do like words of affirmation or something, because like, nah, this ain't it.

Speaker 2: 26:44

Yeah, this one, I was almost thinking is it just because we're humans and we're people? Yes, that's why this one's so hard, because, like, I love being in a small group chatting about some just random crap in our lives and the last TV show that happened and all that, but I hate when Bruce is there.

Speaker 1: 27:03

You, know what I mean.

Speaker 2: 27:03

That's a very human thing to be like. It's going to ruin the whole vibe and it ruined my whole vibe and I no longer want to appreciate. I don't feel appreciated with the small group conversations if Bruce is there, because you know that's how people think about it.

Speaker 1: 27:17

This is a throwback. We're going to go back in time 10 plus years. You already know where this is going. We used to do a lean coffee in our office and it was a really fun thing.

Speaker 1: 27:32

That was only semi-work related, but lean coffee is basically an agenda agenda list meeting where you show up, you put stickies on the table and then you kind of do like a almost like a scrum con bond for conversation and it was really fun. Like we talk about game of Thrones, cause that was popular at the time. We talk about like movies, games, programming, talk about work, occasionally, like whatever made it onto the thing we voted, and then we decided that's the next thing we're going to talk about. Right, like some people would come in the break when we were doing this and like you'd almost they'd do that. Like oh, the peasants are talking again. Yes, hmm, I wouldn't be joining them for a skinny latte or whatever they call it. Like you could just tell that was the vibe. And now, thinking back retrospectively, it it's like well, no, they don't appreciate quality time. Yeah, that's. Yeah, they're seeing that as an absolute waste and we're a bunch of idiots. But like, yeah, truly, you know it's, it's just funny.

Speaker 2: 28:27

I mean that session, to your like, of us not thinking about quality time being our top. Like you brought up jamming with someone on something that is quality time and you appreciate it. The lean coffee was like small group dialogue that wasn't necessarily about work the most of the time and, like to your point, that is a quality time attribute. And exactly to your point, I remember people coming in and be like that's a waste of time. I've got work to do and it's like well no, for me. It motivated me to work harder because I appreciated and wanted to help the people around me and it also made me more informed about things that may or may not be work-related, but helped me connect with someone on a personal level and that made me more effective in the workplace, and so I got a ton of value out of those. I look back and like those were some of the most fun meetings I think we had in that time of our work careers.

Speaker 1: 29:13

And I'm starting to realize in this whole effort you know, came in a skeptic, came out a believer the thing is, with words of affirmation and quality time, if you are able to identify and do this appropriately and correctly, you can absolutely improve the morale of the person at the other side of the conversation. So, like you know, what some people thought was stupid, like lean coffee, probably kept us happy and motivated and working and we didn't even realize that we were just like this is just a fun thing, but it's like no, we looked forward to every Wednesday morning at nine because, like that was, that was the time for that and our work probably benefited from it because that's our appreciation language.

Speaker 1: 29:52

Yeah, 100 percent, and like you can absolutely use this to game people, you know?

Speaker 2: 29:57

Yeah, a hundred percent and like you can absolutely use this to game people, you know, yeah, yeah, that's like something that the book goes into later is like don't think this is some evil corporate thing about like retaining people.

Speaker 1: 30:05

But it kind of is.

Speaker 2: 30:06

It could be, though they even acknowledge it. They're like, yeah, you could totally see it as that, but it's really not supposed to be that. It's just about being and working together at a human level. Yeah, so it's interesting to your point though, cause, like when you think about those things, you're like I did probably stay longer at that company than I probably needed to, because that's what that was fun, and I enjoyed it and I felt encouraged and like that's what gave me energy to keep doing the work I was doing every single day. And so when you think about it in like hindsight, you're just like holy cow, like that made a big difference to my happiness at work. Well, it's.

Speaker 1: 30:39

It's kind of sad because, yes, you could use this nefariously, but like let's. Let's just think through this. Like, logically, right Company decides we're all in on appreciation and we're going to we're going to use this book, we're going to use this test, we're going to identify and we're going to optimize for appreciation with our employees, train people on it, make it happen, because this is going to produce better work. What's the negative of this? Right? Like they get better, they get better outcomes. The individual contributors, like you and me, were like I love working here. This place appreciates me. I want to work harder. Like it really is. Even in the most nefarious case, if you are delivering on what the employee wants, it's going to create a net positive for both parties. Like I see no way this could actually be used for true evil. It's almost like lawful evil, but it's still good for everyone. So I don't know I'm becoming a believer of this whole thing until we get to touching and then I'm out of here.

Speaker 2: 31:43

Yeah, and then touching. We got to tread lightly because it gets real dangerous.

Speaker 1: 31:46

We need.

Speaker 2: 31:46

HR. Hr enters the chat for that conversation. But yeah, I agree with you, it's hard to see how this could go poorly, and I think the way it goes poorly is because of people trying to be greedy, get ahead in their career. They're going to figure out ways to do this or ways to game the system to say, well, I need to feel appreciated by getting promoted. And this person didn't make me feel appreciated because Bruce assumed that my language was something else and then it wasn't, and he shouldn't get promoted. I should get promoted. Like you know, that's going to happen, or?

Speaker 1: 32:21

they're like well, we're meeting your appreciation language. You don't need a pay raise this year. Like you can see the cracks. But I feel like if it's at that level, you should have been gone a year ago. Like you should have been gone a year ago. Like you should have seen that, that flashing train lights in the distance and gotten out way sooner. Yeah.

Speaker 2: 32:42

Yeah, yeah. I think this is one of those things that the reason corporations don't do it is because it's hard, it is hard, it's not easy.

Speaker 1: 32:50

It requires care and attention and evaluation, which are three words that corporations absolutely despise. So, yeah, it's not going to happen.

Speaker 2: 33:02

Yeah, it's so funny too, because at the end of the day, it's going to help your bottom line. If you do this, you're going to attain and attract great people. Everyone's going to be happy. Therefore, working harder and spending more time like this will help in the longterm. And so it's so sad to say what we're saying, but it is one of those things that it's like what's what's easy for a corporation. Throw out a reward program that if you get so many points, you get a $10 gift card to best buy, like that's easy, that's the easy cop out way to do it. The right way to do it is something like this Well, this, well, I'm here.

Speaker 1: 33:38

I'm very curious about the gifts episode. Like I really want to know the deets on that. No spoilers, but like no spoilers, that's that probably more than touching for me. I I'm just give me the deets on gifts because I I associate gifts with I'm giving you a gift, so I don't have to give you a raise. I'm giving you a gift because you did crunch over the weekend, or something like here's your pizza, thanks, thanks for you know, bleeding sweat through your veins, uh like it is, I'm interested.

Speaker 1: 34:05

Yeah, I, I'm interested. But you know, I truly believe if companies did this with the right intent, like personally speaking, if I knew that a company was going to evaluate everyone's appreciation language and make it an effort to do better, I would take a pay cut to go work at that company because I would know that they were invested in retention and keeping their employees happy and ensuring it's like a good workplace environment. Like I would work for less for that. You know, like that's that that increases, hypothetically speaking, that increases your actual longevity, right, Because if you're less stressed, if you are burning yourself less because you like your work environment and you feel like it is a place where you're appreciated, then you're not thinking am I going to lose my job? Am I going to you know, like, how am I going to make you know, next year work here? Like I think it? Just you get into a cycle of positivity and it would lead to a much better result.

Speaker 2: 35:02

I 100% agree with you. Yeah, yeah, I think the the actual like implementation of this. Imagine, if you're imagine, if you're interviewing to go to this company and you're like, well, what's like the culture, like in, like a gold star company would be like. You know, something that we believe in is that everybody has a primary and a secondary appreciation language to feel encouraged in the workplace and like.

Speaker 1: 35:25

Imagine hearing that when you're interviewing and you're like I hear that interview and I'm like, can I just work for great? Can that when you're interviewing and they're like, bro, I hear that in an interview and I'm like can I just work for free?

Speaker 2: 35:33

Can I start today? At that point I'm sending a resignation note to my boss and I'm like I'm out, I got another job. But eventually I carried that to be like, yeah, mine is acts of service and, like my team knows that, like this is my primary appreciation language and they help like me, they help appreciate me by doing doing that language and we have guidelines and rules around that of how you can do that in a way that, uh, you know, fits inside of our corporate structure. And like how cool would that be to hear. Like that's something that's been implemented all the way down to whoever you're talking to and they take it seriously and that's the way they work I would die happy, uh, like I've been.

Speaker 1: 36:09

I've been work heaven. Are you crying?

Speaker 2: 36:11

I see a tear just it can't be real. It can't be real you know this goes to your quality time, where we started this as a task together to talk about this next appreciation language. We jammed on it and we got excited. I feel like I could run through a wall right now.

Speaker 1: 36:33

I could literally punch through steel plates with my fist. No glove, just straight through, right this second, five minutes from now. No, because the feeling's coming down. But if there was a steel plate that I could punch through with my fist bare fist, right now, I'd do it.

Speaker 2: 36:51

Honestly, I'm in danger to those around me because I feel like One Punch man right now. You're glowing, you're glowing. I could hit somebody and they could die immediately.

Speaker 1: 37:01

I'm afraid to run my fingers through your hair for fear they might get singed from the glow.

Speaker 2: 37:08

Please, no, please, no. We need the physical touch. We need the physical touch episode. Yesterday I got him well, that's, that's quality time. Um, we have three more, which you already alluded to acts of service, tangible gifts and a physical touch and then we got like a wrap-up episode. So that's what's coming next, not necessarily in that order. We can really go whatever order we want.

Speaker 1: 37:32

So okay, all right. Well, uh, don't tell me no spoilers, I'm very excited for next week, uh. So don't tease it, don't give me a hint, because I don't want to know. But I do want to know, just a little hint. Just give me a little hint, like just a tiny, tiny little hint, you sure? No, I don't want to know anymore. I've changed my mind. I mean, okay, I won't tell you what if. What if my love language is surprise? What if I like surprise?

Speaker 2: 37:59

my love language depends on the day on.

Speaker 1: 38:05

On tuesdays I'm all about surprise, but on thursdays it's all spoilers. I don't want anything but known expectations. That's it. That's it.

Speaker 2: 38:17

Fridays physical touch all day.

Speaker 1: 38:20

No fun day Friday baby more like fondle Friday, am I right? Ooh, oh gross. Look out for suitcases. Look out for those suitcases. They don't. They don't appreciate the physical touch and neither does the owner of that suitcase. Just FYI, you creep out there. Well, thank you, clark. Once again, I really appreciate you taking point on this and making this happen. Maybe we should hang out later and, you know, spend some quality time together, just as a little reward for the work you've done here.

Speaker 2: 38:59

Maybe some shared activity would be fun, like sipping acai balls through a straw.

Speaker 1: 39:06

It's not acai, but yeah, yeah, close enough, close enough. What is it again? I already forgot.

Speaker 2: 39:11

Tapioca. That's what it is tapioca, that's what day I've had. I can't differentiate between the two.

Speaker 1: 39:17

I want some pure diabetes water with tapioca soup at the bottom, through a straw four times as big, adding four times as much plastic to the environment, please, and I want to pay $11 for this drink. So plastic to the environment, please, and I want to pay $11 for this drink. So let's make it happen together, shall we?

Speaker 2: 39:34

Some ungodly amount. I'm right there with you. I just heard a clock.

Speaker 1: 39:38

I just heard a clock. Yeah, it's my clock. We talked about that before, haven't we? We talked about my clock.

Speaker 2: 39:41

I mean, usually your mic cuts it out, but this time no.

Speaker 1: 39:45

I heard it. It's because I'm talking while the clock is chiming. That's why.

Speaker 2: 39:50

It's a good signal, though, Like hey, this is the end of your work day.

Speaker 1: 39:54

Cut it off. Cut it off. No, I mean it chimes every hour until 10 o'clock at night, and then it stops chiming. Nice, I like that I have a lovely picture on my clock of a. It looks like a Studio Ghibli-esque animated field.

Speaker 2: 40:06

It's gorgeous they made it field.

Speaker 1: 40:10

It's gorgeous and there's little butterflies in the background. Oh, wow, you have to shoot me a picture right now. Yeah, yeah, it's great. I love, love it. It's kleido. Clock shout out, kleido. Yeah, not sponsored. If not sponsored, if. If you want to join our not sponsored discord again, go to the show notes. We also have swag. If you ever want to like wear a corporate strategy shirt around, you could do that through our spread shop.

Speaker 1: 40:31

You can get a link to podcasts on other platforms. You can go to our website. There's so many things you can do. It's all in the show notes, in the all the links link tree. Click that, check it out. But, importantly, the most important thing you can do is share this podcast with your friends, family, loved ones and the people you hate the most, because it doesn't matter what side of the fence you fall on. If you think this is the best podcast on the planet, friends. If you hate it, enemies. But guess what? Your enemies are our friends and we want them here. So please share, please leave us a review. We would so appreciate that. This is a word-of-mouth marketing podcast, because we are weirdos who hide our identities, so you have to do the work for us.

Speaker 2: 41:10

Thank you for doing that by the way, we appreciate you, Clark, for your constant support and continued encouragement of this podcast. Everybody in the Discord we appreciate you for always being there for us and being so consistent, even though sometimes we can be inconsistent.

Speaker 1: 41:27

So thank you, yeah that was really good, that that followed all of the rules Good job.

Speaker 2: 41:33

I'm looking back at the rules. The rules were affirmation of character, praise for personality traits. We nailed it Great job.

Speaker 1: 41:41

You did, you did. Uh, and that wraps up yet another episode of corporate strategy podcast. It could have been an email. Make sure that you affirm your words and quality your time. I'm Bruce and I'm Clark and you're on mute. We'll see you next week.