I'm fortunate to like my job; sure, there's times it's not enjoyable for one reason or another, but generally it's a good job, I'm good at it, the company is on-the-ball, fairly generous to the team and the individuals I work with are good people. It's the trucking, transport and logistics industry and is fast-paced and brutal at times, but overall I'm happy.
My role is client-facing and I'm lucky to have complete autonomy. I spend a lot of time with clients delivering presentations of the features and benefits of the company to potential new ones, and consolidating relationships with the existing ones. The whole premise of my role is to win business for the company and I do that through giving, meaning I show value to the client and the operations team deliver it. It's often professionally rewarding, but yesterday I received a reward of another nature.
This week I visited a client who was unable to see me prior to Christmas due to increase business commitments at that time, we met at a café. We spoke about what we did over the break, about how her business rounded out the year and what's in-store this year - critical information for me to work with and potentially gain more business - and generally chatted about life in general. We'd ordered our second coffee when she delved into her handbag and produced an envelope which she handed to me saying, this is for you, I know how hard you work and what you do to support my business and it's a small thank you.
I took it, opened the envelope, saying the usual, you didn't have to dialogue, and that's when my jaw dropped...She had handed me a $400AUD gift voucher for a hardware/homeware store I spend a lot of time at. I'm not one to accept gifts well, I feel awkward, and this was far too much! I said so, and that her generosity was well over the top. She simply grinned and said, you deserve it.
I accepted that gift, to do so would have devalued her generosity and I didn't want to do so. We parted ways and I headed back to the office.
I spoke to the operations team there, told them what had happened and that I wanted to buy each of them something with the gift card. A half hour later I had a list and off I went to the hardware store to pick up some gardening stuff for one, tools for another and some potted plants for the State Managers office. I picked up a couple things for myself also and it all felt pretty good.
Generosity is a funny thing as it can be genuine or have an agenda. In this case it was genuine and that made it pretty special. Have you ever received an unexpected gift like this? It's a nice feeling I think, for the giver and receiver as well. Feel free to tell me about your own unexpected gift experience if you have one.
Design and create your ideal life, don't live it by default; tomorrow isn't promised so be humble and kind - galenkp
Any images in this post are my own.
@galenkp it is rightly said that hardwork and passion always pays off...but the best part of your happening was that you shared your gift vouchers with everyone at the office...people often forget to value those efforts which are behind the curtains...loved reading 🤗😊
It was the first thing I thought of, to share it with the team, and I told the woman that's what I'd do. I think it showed integrity and that my company were a team. She seemed pleased I was going to do that for the team and I think it'll work in our favour moving forward.
That's true...I feel blessed that people with such good gestures like you are my friends...you have set up a good example 🤗🤗
I've done plenty wrong in my life, but do some things right also, like everyone. 😊
That's how we all live life...we make mistakes, we learn and we grow...but accepting those mistakes makes us wiser🤗☺️
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How nice @galenkp, what a nice and rewarding experience you had.
As she says, you deserve it, you are a good worker and you showed it too by sharing your gift with your work team.
It's a phenomenal thing, to work on what you love and have it valued, good for you. Congratulations.
Once when I was new to this job I have had for 13 years, my co-workers did a gift exchange. In which I did not participate, as I was working without pay.
They all collaborated to go to the end of the year sharing in a good restaurant. They invited me and gave me a nice gift. I remember that gesture with great affection.
Thank you for bringing it back to my memory. Of course it doesn't compare to your case. But it came to my mind at this moment.
It's amazing how a small act of kindness, a gift gesture, can make someone feel so good. Look at your scenario, you recall that gesture all these years later, and I think remember it fondly enough to want to replicate it, pass it on to someone else.
I happened to receive a gift that I still carry in my heart, a bag for the office I was given before moving to Florence.
The gift was given to me during the dinner that the association I worked for organized to greet me.
It was a personal gift from the president of the association and I confess that I was very pleased, not so much the material object itself but the thought I had.
I like the gesture you made of sharing the good with your team, I am sure you are a great leader and it would be nice to be able to work under your directives, I imagine it would be an empowering and very important growth experience.
Generosity and gratitude are qualities that only great men have and demonstrate them with deeds and not with words.
It's the gesture that means the most, or should do, like with your gift from the association president. It's that feeling I've being valued that lasts the longest right?
I shared the gift with the operations team as it's them that does the work. The clients see me as the face of the company though and so it's me that gets the gifts, and also those phone calls when they're not happy. Having said that, it's not often gifts of this magnitude happen. It was the least I could do to share it around. I got something out if it too, a couple extra battieres to power my cordless power tools - $150 I'll not need to spend myself. It was a nice gesture and very appreciated.
Yes, the feeling of being appreciated is what gratifies.
Of course, a gift is always pleasing even from a material point of view but that is a pleasure that does not last long, instead feeling appreciated is something that lasts a long time and pushes you to always do better in my opinion.
What a beautiful surprise and what a generous soul yours Galen that gesture speaks more of who you are a detached human being, without material attachments and very humble of heart...in my country they say "You broke the mold".
I have rarely received gifts and money, much less from people outside my family group. Maybe because I get used to being the provider of my house, and I get used to giving more than receiving.
A strong and respectful hug, Galen
Thanks for your kind words. I try to be the best version of myself and sometimes I even get close.
It is a pleasure to recognize that there are still noble and kind people, and you are representing it with your actions for the well-being of all your collaborators, Galen 👏 I have never received anything like this from a line manager.
Being generous is great. Accepting generosity is not easy for all. I am still like you, finding hard to accept gits and rewards but I sometimes think that this is some kind of subconscious thing that makes me think I do not deserve it. I am a productive guy, always have been,and I have grown up thinking that I had to give more, be more, do more. That led me to feeling not "enough" sometimes. But also led me to a high quality of works I deliver. Like you I guess!
After some sharing of feelings, congrats with your bonus! Well deserved!
I think it's important to understand one's own worth and value, but not push it upon other people. I don't like being the centre of attention and receiving gifts like this, when I feel I've not really done anything to warrant it makes me feel a bit awkward, but I'm also not one to take away the giver's enjoyment of gift giving, so I accept graciously.
Thanks for your comment...it seems like we are similar in this way.
It's a different industry and a different place, but our company's sales folks are forbidden to accept gifts from their clients. I don't know all the whys and why nots and the such.
That truly was a very generous gift and the way you chose to share it was super nice.
Ah yes, I have a few customers like that, unable to accept gifts. In fact I'm taking one such to lunch in a couple weeks...a business meeting, at a restaurant, at lunch time and in which we will eat food, but it's a business meeting. There's always ways around the no-gift thing. 🤔😉
Yeh you know that cool thing you do where you take notes and work with critical information to make sure you maintain good relationships and all? Seems like other people are good at it too ;D
And she's right, you deserve it.
I am also completely unsurprised that you then went ahead and shared it with the rest of the team, because that sounds very Galen.
Haha, yeah Ry, I thought the same thing...the woman has been keeping tabs on me! Got me at my own game.
Not for a moment did I think about spending it all on myself. The operations people do the work and they deserved it. Part of sharing it was for generosity and part to build credit with them, demonstrate how much I value them and show them that I'm a team player. A win all around I think.
Hi, I'm glad if you enjoy my work because many people complain about their work, sometimes they are pressured by the environment, all of which require adaptation and excellent teamwork. maybe everyone is comfortable with your public spaking dear, I hope you get lots of gifts and feel happy permanently.
Thanks for your comment, I think I'll be permanently happy, it's a mindset.
that is my prayer for you dear
My girlfriend often gives me surprise gifts and it feels wonderful! I'm sure he loved giving this gift and that it was very well received by you and your team.
It's nice to have those little things from time to time, and nicer to know someone cares enough to make them happen. I'm sure there's some reciprocity in respect of your girlfriend's gifts and that she values that also.
I'd immediately think there's an agenda behind the gift, good thing you're not paranoid like me
Yeah, being paranoid wouldn't be advantageous.
At first, Congratulations on receiving the gift.
Such a kind of surprise gift can make anyone happy and I also think you deserve it.
In my case, I hardly receive gifts from others and I don't have such kind of experience.
Maybe someday you will have just such an experience.
Yes, I am also hopeful about it, and thank you for your kind words.