How Drums Reminded Me to Appreciate People
By Mike Virgintino, U.S. Compensation Expert, Human Resources, Bayer U.S.
I always wanted to play the drums. When I was younger my older cousin played drums in a band and I thought he was cool. I was ecstatic when he offered his set to me when he was leaving for college. And devastated when my parents declined because they didn’t want “all that noise” in the house.
Fast forward many years, and the dream was still alive. When my daughter Danielle started college at Clemson University and I had more time on my hands, I thought, “Hey, it’s my house and I can make all the noise I want!” So, I got myself a set of drums and my wife bought me a series of lessons.
I spent lots of happy hours in the basement, practicing.
About a year into my lessons, my guitar-playing daughter and I jammed to “Highway to Hell,” by AC/DC. My supportive wife videotaped it and sent it to my instructor.
To my surprise, he was impressed. He said I had made great progress in just a year and specifically noted that I was on the beat with good coordination and rhythm. Then he shared the video with some of his other students, who also provided positive feedback.
All of that made me proud, happy, and inspired to practice even more.
That experience was on my mind the other night as I was playing my drums. It was important to me and felt great to have that recognition from my instructor and his other students. It didn’t take much from them — just watching a quick video and responding — but the impact it had on me was big and long-lasting. Then I started to think about other areas of my life, like home and work, and how easy it is to offer praise or even just say thank you for a job well done. In the rush and pressure of daily life, it’s also easy to forget to do it.
When other people see and acknowledge a good job or extra effort, it makes you want to put that extra effort in again. If no one ever acknowledges your good work, you start to ask yourself, “Why am I doing this?”
At Bayer we have a few ways to celebrate each other. One is Employee Appreciation Day, which is on March 6 this year. On or around that day, leaders are encouraged to set aside some time to recognize the good work of their teams and give them a #HighFive.
We also have a recognition program called “Better Because of You.” It allows all employees, regardless of level, to acknowledge anyone within the company for a job well done. All types of recognition are included, from a thank-you note sent to them and their managers, to a gift or a monetary award. We know that appreciation doesn’t always have to be monetary by any means. Between that and Employee Appreciation Day, it’s easier than ever to say, “Thanks. We appreciate you.”
Research tells us employee recognition is one of the easiest ways to attract and retain good employees. It’s low cost and high impact, and boosts engagement, productivity and loyalty. And don’t forget the health benefits of being grateful. Grateful people say they have more satisfaction with life, with better sleep and less burn-out. So, it’s good for you as well as for the people you appreciate.
You probably have your own experiences of how you felt when your extra efforts, progress or great work were noticed. For me, the smile I get when I think of my “jamming drum video feedback” will be my reminder of how meaningful it is to recognize other’s accomplishments. I invite you to join me in adopting an attitude of gratitude and recognition. Participate in whatever programs are available to you at work. And take a minute to say thanks and great job — it’s quick, it’s free, and it makes a big difference.
