And The Winner is...

Every fall, in my small hometown of Liberty, Texas, there was a Baby Parade. Families would put on their thinking caps to come up with clever themes and beautifully executed floats, proudly displaying their children to everyone gathered along the streets to enjoy the spectacle. My parents were ‘all in’ and made sure I was part of the parade hoopla.

The photo above is from one of those Baby Parades. The theme of our float was ‘Under the Bigtop,’ and my neighbor and I dangled under a colorful circus-like tent in swinging trapeze fashion. Our costumes were glittery, and I wore large, hot pink feather plumes on my head! It was at this event that I received my very first trophy, recognized as ‘Most Original’.

Although I would go on to win many awards over the years, this old trophy holds a special place in my heart. As you can see from the recent photo below, I’ve held on to it as a reminder that recognition for a job well done is always worth pursuing.

I’m sure many of you have received gold stars on school papers or perhaps ribbons and trophies for outstanding team or individual sports. Maybe you’ve earned plaques for business leadership, framed certificates or diplomas. You may even have shelves full of awards!

Regardless, the real message here is that little or big wins along the way, encourage us to keep reaching for the stars. Ultimately, I’ve learned the greatest value of recognition is that it gives us an opportunity to help others and shine a light on those who made our success possible. None of us can achieve outstanding work without the people who guide, advise and support us along the way.

Let’s take time to thank some of the individuals who have helped us accomplish great work that has been recognized by our peers. The highest level of recognition comes from our peers—they see our strengths and weakness and still cheer us on.

Hip, hip, hooray!Gay Gaddis newsletter

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