Appreciation all-star

I love using Gifted to go beyond words with an out-of-the-blue recognition of a team member's effort.

Item: Gifted
Author: Kristin Speer

Gifted has been a great asset in building team loyalty and spirit. As a manager of a remote team, Gifted has been a great asset in building team loyalty and spirit. We use it for all birthdays and I love using Gifted to go beyond words with an out-of-the-blue recognition of a team member's effort. It's also easy to work with a budget to avoid red tape on gift approvals.

Her point

Recognition should not wait for approval

Birthdays are easy to plan for, because the date is already on the calendar. The harder moment is the one that arrives unannounced, when someone on a remote team does something worth naming out loud. That moment has a short shelf life, and an approval chain will outlast it every time.

A budget set in advance solves it. The manager who saw the work is the one who sends the gift, on the day it happened, without asking anyone for permission first.

The interview

Fourteen questions, answered fast

Every appreciation all-star gets the same fourteen. Here are Kristin's.

When you walk into the room, what song would be playing?: Shining Star by Earth, Wind, and Fire
How would you explain your job to a 5 year old in 10 words?: Mom helps companies hire excellent people
What was your first paying job?: Detasseling corn in Iowa
What is your favorite curse word?: Shit
What is the best compliment you can give?: If I’m ever in a lifeboat, I want you there with me
What is the best compliment you can receive?: If I’m ever in a lifeboat, I want you there with me
What is your favorite Gift Card brand?: I guess Amazon; It covers all bases
What book / podcast can you recommend?: “Interpreter of Maladies” by Jhumpa Lahiri
What is the most rewarding aspect of your job?: Having built a great team that supports each other that functions well on their own. It's just a well-oiled machine.
Where do you want to go on your next vacation?: Argentina, India, El Salvador, Canada…So many choices!
What was the last gift that you gave someone?: Some homemade jam for a young gentleman staying with us from India
What is your favorite word?: Yes
What is your least favorite word?: Can’t
Do you have a motto, spoken or unspoken?: “Surf The Chaos”