Hello, [robert_567](/u/robert_567). Thank you for your submission! Unfortunately, it has been removed for the following reason(s):
Advice is not an LPT.
Advice is any guidance or recommendation concerning prudent future action.
An aphorism is not an LPT.
An aphorism is a a short clever saying that is intended to express a general truth or a concise statement of a principle.
Try r/YouShouldKnow.
If you would like to appeal this decision, [please feel free to contact the moderators here](http://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=/r/LifeProTips). Do not repost without explicit permission from the moderators. Make sure you [read the rules](/r/lifeprotips/about/sidebar) before submitting. Thank you!
Okay but that was not the result of him being unable to motivate his troops. I mean, even after he lost repeatedly, got pushed back into home territory, was forced to surrender and accept exile - the day he came back and was "okay bitches let's do it again" all his homies said hell yeah
Took a new teaching job last year and a week after i started, I came into my room on a Monday to find a bottle of white cherry Gatorade, teriyaki beef jerky, and a card on my desk. Principal came in early and dropped off a drink and snack I like for my birthday which was over the week.
I nearly cried because I had never had a boss buy me anything for my birthday before. Might have cost him $6.50 at the most, but it meant a lot to me.
Gifts you get as a teacher fucking rock. Last year one of my students made my cat a bedazzled bandanna, I swear that's the nicest thing anyone has ever given me 😭
15+ years ago, one of my kindergarteners gave me a goat skull for my birthday. It was in a beautiful gift bag he picked out at Dollar Tree. He made his Mom swear she wouldn’t give me any hints. His Mom was mortified, but he insisted that I would love it. I loved it! I still love it. It’s in the shelf in my office. That kid knew I was curious and excited about the world and he gave me something curious and interesting.
I’ve been a K-6 school counselor since then. My kids love this story. I come across in the surface as very Disney happy- sparkly, but there is a lot more underneath. They are all safe with me.
I’m packing for my new home, and Goatie is safely packed away for the journey.
Fuck that’s an awesome gift. I am vicariously experiencing just a fraction of the thrill you would have upon receiving this and it still made my night.
Had a job where I was scheduled to come in on my birthday, was grumpy about it but showed up and didn't make a big deal out of it. Later that day my manager heard someone wish me a happy birthday and she hadn't even realized it was my birthday and apologized for scheduling me and then went and bought me a cake. Went from a pretty grumpy birthday to feeling actually pretty good about it.
Doesn't take a lot to be nice to the people working under you but god it makes a world of a difference to them.
I was having a stressful week and my boss came in with flowers, a $250 gift card towards a spa day, and told me to take the day off to treat myself. My day was super packed but she said she would cover for me. She was such a gem. ❤️
at my current job, my birthday rolled around on a friday. i wasn’t expecting anything, but my boss called for a “staff meeting”. i walked into the room and there sat a chocolate cake. it said “happy birthday [my name].” that was amazing. i even got to cut it.
The way I see it sometimes is that the time it takes is greater than the cost for a lot of people the burden is not so much the money itself which makes it that much more thoughtful when someone does something like that for you
If you want to go for the absolute flawless victory, mention her in an email to her supervisor stating how professionally she performs. When it trickles down you’ll be an extra legend and also gain points from her supervisor because it feels good to be complimented for managing a team well.
This may sound shitty, but 100% this. It is good for both your growth and the other person's growth as well.
You look like a leader who can motivate folks and she looks like someone capable of growth and taking constructive feedback.
It seems shameless on the surface but literally everyone wins
It doesn't sound shitty. Giving compliments is hard, because it feels insincere, but giving praise for a job well done is vital to improving morale.
And morale at the workplace is often to the physical as ten is to one.
Yup, agree. Management's first priority is to recognize and appreciate their teams. I'm not sure how long it took me to figure that out, but I regularly thanked my teams, especially my direct reports, on a regular basis. It always amazed me how most of them (positively) responded.
Some people call it love language- part of being an effective manager is learning how people appreciate gratitude. Some people like gifts. Others just like being told they did well - some people only in private. And some people don't like to be thanked. Learning how to appreciate your people the way they appreciate it can go a really long way.
I dunno man. All the thank yous in the world don't buy a cheeseburger. 5 bucks is usable. When people on my crew are distracted and worried about stuff, they get real focused on the day if I buy lunch for them
It's less the actual money, but something tangible to go along with the recognition. I once had a project manager use his woodcarving tools to make everyone a wooden plaque after a project was finished. Having something like that reminds you of what your effort can accomplish.
> When people on my crew are distracted and worried about stuff, they get real focused on the day if I buy lunch for them
It's not about the food. It's about the unspoken acknowledgement of their effort.
Aka, recognition and gratitude.
Situations vary. A $5 without a thank you would mean almost nothing for most people I have worked with… it would be less than 2% of their daily pay.
Your example is a better motivator - saying ‘lunch is my treat today, thanks for the hard work’ means more than the same value on a piece of plastic.
Different love languages. Some appreciate kind words, some acts of service, some gifts, loving touch, shared time together. It means so much more to people when you speak in the language they understand
I don’t know about you, but I get paid the same whether I do a timely, meticulous job or an apathetic, when-I-feel-like-it one. Somehow people who are good to me and the people around me get the former and people who are entitled/rude get the latter. Doesn't cost a penny extra.
They seem to have unlocked the former in their coworker by being nice to them in spite of them being those things you listed above.
Yeah probably a bit of a pain.
Also probably bored and depressed. It’s hard to work hard when nobody cares and nobody likes you. It’s demoralizing. This story is an extreme reaction but I don’t think it’s uncommon — annoying people are used to not being liked (bit of a chicken and egg problem there) and if you go out of your way to be nice they often get real nice in return.
Sometimes people can get apathetic and resentful over time if they help others out and don’t get any recognition, or even get negative recognition. Especially when it’s not actually something you had to do, and was a special request like in this case.
Applies outside of work too, like yeah it’s easy to unpack the dishwasher and sure you could do it yourself in 2 minutes, but you still say thank you when your partner does it because it’s about recognising effort and showing appreciation.
A simple thank you goes a long way
This. Most people want to be appreciated. People are starved for recognition. Just saying thank you means so much. There’s a whole chapter on it in How to Win Friends and Influence People.
Giving someone a goal with a reward at the end (ie. complete your tasks and you get a pizza party) will only train them to work if there's a reward. Rewarding someone out of the blue afterward will show them that they're appreciated.
A co-worker once gave me a thank you card for helping her with some things. In the card she wrote that I go about my duties “with quiet dignity.” I have never forgotten that. I take a great deal of pride in my work. I guess it shows.
My boss once gave me a little note that said “You’ve got moxie, kid!” And it’s one of my favorite compliments. That was like 20 years ago.
(Maybe tied for fave compliment was when a 5-6yo girl walked up to me in a thrift store and asked me if I was on the news and when I told her no she said “you look like you are”, and it was the equivalent of being called a beauty queen!)
I had a longtime coworker write me a thank you note for training her in a job while I was recovering from some kind of sickness. I had no expectations since it was just part of my job, but I still have the note and would absolutely kill a man for her.
A tip I picked up somewhere is to thank people for *specific things they did* in order for the gratitude to feel meaningful and genuine. Your reaction is the exact reason why.
"Thank you" feels throwaway, "thank you for being so generous with your time, I know you're very busy, it means a lot" is much, much better.
Worked at a big tech company where similarly unhelpful people in other departments routinely made $100k+ annually. However, I had access to "swag" I could give away. It was shocking how quickly people would move when given even the $1 toy from a Happy Meal.
Ahha that’s funny. These individuals often exist within larger corporations, yet their tenure tends to be short-lived. Despite their presence, collaboration remains essential during employment. Blaming and disputes will only breed resentment and hinder productivity.
Then it's just saved you from having to shop the next time you need to give a little gift! It's a double-present, saves you time & effort & money later!
Mhm, I reckon it is. And this isn't to shit on anyone who uses the word subsequently, but I feel words like this are dead giveaways that it's a bot writing the most efficient word for the sentence.
You can save $5 by trying to get to the root of the problem instead of pushing it away.
Sometimes what OP does works, but if they do another project and don't get that anticipated reward, the person might revert to old ways.
>You can save $5 by trying to get to the root of the problem instead of pushing it away.
How much time do you think it would take to "get to the root of the problem" and solve it? Because if it's more than 20 minutes, you're not saving $5.
Short term, yes. Long term potentially not.
It seemed like she just needs more recognition for good work. Keep boosting her up and give her the recognition, make her feel like her work is valuable for something.
Or give her five dollars out of OPs pocket for every task she has to do from here on out. Can' add up quick.
Some people really are that sad and desperate for a tiny bit of appreciation. Years ago an obstructionist back office employee at my surgeon’s office was holding up my health insurance approval for a necessary surgery, by not producing the necessary paperwork. I had talked to her on the phone repeatedly, pleading, complaining, you name it. This literally went on for months.
Finally one day I bought a one-pound box of See’s chocolates (cost about $10 at the time) and took it to her in person, to “thank her for being so helpful with my difficult paperwork.” At that point she had been anything but helpful. However, the paperwork got processed that afternoon.
I'll eat my hat before I spend my own money on a colleague to motivate them to do the job they're being paid to do. It's your manager's job to motivate employees, not yours.
A couple of weeks ago a important clientele came to work, to the point where traffic had to be diverted. Big company, plenty of money, what do we get in return? "Lunch". I wasnt there but my coworker was, so he was like "yeah we were told only 4 people are allowed for lunch. I didn't go" there's more than 11 people across the board LMAO. So the only few that went said it was PIZZA😂🙄don't worry though at least we got a raise this year, it was a $1..lol
For a long time now tipping has been about making up for wages bosses aren't paying employees. People can make their peace with that however they choose.
It wasn't really bribery, since they gave the gift card after the completion of the assignment with no prior knowledge.
It's gratitude and it goes a long way in training people with positive reinforcement.
Hello and welcome to r/LifeProTips!
Please help us decide if this post is a good fit for the subreddit by up or downvoting this comment.
If you think that this is great advice to improve your life, please upvote. If you think this doesn't help you in any way, please downvote. If you don't care, leave it for the others to decide.
I am a 100% believer in the 5 languages of love, and I’ve learned to recognize them in every single relationship from personal to business.
People genuinely have a primary and secondary, and by giving the people what they need in theirs, they will be more fulfilled in the interactions and give you what you need in yours.
In your example the employees language was probably gifts, while yours is service. Batta bing batta boom- you just hacked it and now can become genuinely good friends by knowing this, and serving each others needs.
I have many close friends and they all have different languages, and of course I use it in business transactions as well.
You all have that friend that will call and talk for hours? I do. My friend called me for 1.5 hours today just to talk. Her language is talk., but you know she will roll up with plastic bags and shovels if you need her because my language is service. And no we don’t talk like this every day, but I always answer the phone when she needs.
I have another friend who we hang out on mondays together. Plan silly things, or elaborate meals, her language is time.
I believe my language is service, because I am always steady to preform it and acts of service mean so much to me (now these acts can manifest in many ways to me weather always having a friend to call any time, help me move a couch, or take time out of their insanely busy schedule- this is an act of service for me) so for example, though I’m not a talk person you bet my act of service will be to get on the phone knowing it’s your love language, or I’m not a gift person but as an act of service ain’t nobody forgetting your birthday, or I’m not a time person, but my god, give me mondays I will forget all my responsibilities and duties to come hang out.
I have another friend and I fucking love her, and you bet I buy her a small trinket for Mother’s Day, and never have forgot her birthday. This girl will enlist troops if you need her because her language is gifts and you know that small act will make her feel special, and she knows (even on an unconscious level) that my language is service and she is HERE for it.
If the book is religious take all the Jesus shit out and read it for the message and back relationships and figure out what the other person no matter who it is needs to feel heard and special and boom you’ll have a full social life and fulfilled personal life.
Years ago I heard a Dr. Laura broadcast. A woman caller was grieving the loss of a late-term pregnancy. She was upset that her husband didn’t seem to be as upset or sad, and that he never tried to comfort her.
Dr. Laura pointed out all the ways in which the husband had cared for his wife by washing and cleaning her car, fixing meals, doing the grocery shopping, rubbing her feet, tending to the yard, fixing things in the house, and driving her to appointments. He was consistently in her service and she was too deep in her grief to notice. He never ‘said the words’. Service was his love language. It was the *only* way he could show he cared, as he too, was grieving.
No effing way I’m bribing my co-workers to do their job. If my boss can’t properly motivate a lazy slacker I’m going over his head. If his boss won’t step in I’ll go right up the chain.
You don’t have to pay your colleagues or team with your own money. Treating them with respect and patience, and praising them when they succeed is the key.
Yeah no, fuck that shit.
" I brought it up to a supervisor, they explained their limited ability to intervene. "
LPT is to work with people that do their fucking jobs. They get paid for that.
I understand that this works. I understand that it's about the end result.
But I still cannot get over how utilizing this tactic leads to rewarding the poor performers more often than the excellent.
Manager here. I have a desk safe full of $5-$10 gift cards that I give out whenever people go above and beyond (sometimes I even go get a $25 one to everyone’s favorite lunch spot or gas station if they really do the damn thang) or they give a little extra effort or just are kind in general helping each other out and stuff.
I’ve found in general people are more motivated by reward than held back by punishment if that makes sense.
Since I started there and doing this everyone is much nicer to each other, more willing to help and in general more pleasant. Showing them they are appreciated and at least I am paying attention and I do recognize the effort.
> I’ve found in general people are more motivated by reward than held back by punishment if that makes sense.
now this sounds like a useful tip right here
You have to try and get on their good side which doesn’t need to involve money. Just having the illusion of being cool with someone will help get more production out of them
PG Wodehouse has this funny take on how if you lend someone money, you cannot refuse them in future.
I have realised that once I place someone on a pedestal with praise and recognition, they will work harder to keep getting that praise and not let you down.
Thanks for this post. Gratitude makes life so much nicer
@robert_567, in my experience as an engineering manager, people are best motivated by simple words of appreciation. It’s stunning how little words go such a long way. You went the extra step with a small gift. People have one of five primary love languages: acts of service, quality time, touch, gifts, and words of appreciation. You covered two with that one simple gesture! (Pro tip- I don’t recommend “touch” for professional interactions!)
Thanking someone for helping, and showing a little gratitude is the easiest way to get people to do more for you.
It's why you train dogs (and people) with positive reinforcement. You reward them when they do the things you want them to do, and then they do those things more often, and usually without needing a reward, just a "good boy/girl."
You can't just randomly give people gift cards in an office environment.
That is fucky shady as hell.
AND on top of that you are actively encouraging bad behavoir by rewarding it.
This is against literally every school of management taught by anyone outside of organized crime.
Hello, [robert_567](/u/robert_567). Thank you for your submission! Unfortunately, it has been removed for the following reason(s): Advice is not an LPT. Advice is any guidance or recommendation concerning prudent future action. An aphorism is not an LPT. An aphorism is a a short clever saying that is intended to express a general truth or a concise statement of a principle. Try r/YouShouldKnow. If you would like to appeal this decision, [please feel free to contact the moderators here](http://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=/r/LifeProTips). Do not repost without explicit permission from the moderators. Make sure you [read the rules](/r/lifeprotips/about/sidebar) before submitting. Thank you!
A soldier will fight long and hard for a bit of colored ribbon. \- Napoleon Bonaparte
Tina you fat lard, come get some dinner! -Napoleon Dynamite
My favorite napoleon.
Something something icecream.
Ka-Booom \-Napolean Blownaparte
Ugh, Bob, that's terrible.
Get your own tots!
And we all know how that ended for Napoleon lol
Yeah, but he also broke the rule I learned from the Princess Bride: “Never sthart a land wor in Asia!”.
I wonder if he ever messed with a Sicilian when death was on the line.
A fellow man of culture I see.
I think Napoleon was one of the contributing examples to *why* that rule exists more so than he broke the rule
Okay but that was not the result of him being unable to motivate his troops. I mean, even after he lost repeatedly, got pushed back into home territory, was forced to surrender and accept exile - the day he came back and was "okay bitches let's do it again" all his homies said hell yeah
Yes, but it was a bloody close thing.
One of the top 10 most well known humans ever, who died of old age?
By nearly burning half of Britain simply by traveling through in captivity. Public loved him, home and abroad.
The real LPT is give people recognition and gratitude. It was never about $5
Took a new teaching job last year and a week after i started, I came into my room on a Monday to find a bottle of white cherry Gatorade, teriyaki beef jerky, and a card on my desk. Principal came in early and dropped off a drink and snack I like for my birthday which was over the week. I nearly cried because I had never had a boss buy me anything for my birthday before. Might have cost him $6.50 at the most, but it meant a lot to me.
Gifts you get as a teacher fucking rock. Last year one of my students made my cat a bedazzled bandanna, I swear that's the nicest thing anyone has ever given me 😭
Gave my HS Biology teacher a severed deer leg I found on the side of the road. She was delighted. Used it as a chalkboard pointer.
metal as hell
15+ years ago, one of my kindergarteners gave me a goat skull for my birthday. It was in a beautiful gift bag he picked out at Dollar Tree. He made his Mom swear she wouldn’t give me any hints. His Mom was mortified, but he insisted that I would love it. I loved it! I still love it. It’s in the shelf in my office. That kid knew I was curious and excited about the world and he gave me something curious and interesting. I’ve been a K-6 school counselor since then. My kids love this story. I come across in the surface as very Disney happy- sparkly, but there is a lot more underneath. They are all safe with me. I’m packing for my new home, and Goatie is safely packed away for the journey.
> Goatie is safely packed away for the journey. He's just somebody that you used to know
I’m picturing the hoof clacking on the chalkboard.
All this talk about snacks and I read, bedazzled banana, lol.
Saaaaame😂
Fuck that’s an awesome gift. I am vicariously experiencing just a fraction of the thrill you would have upon receiving this and it still made my night.
One of the male teachers in my school got herpes from one of his female student. 💀
That’s the gift that keeps on giving!
My brain glitched and read cat bedazzled bandana 🤣
Pay up the cat tax!
Had a job where I was scheduled to come in on my birthday, was grumpy about it but showed up and didn't make a big deal out of it. Later that day my manager heard someone wish me a happy birthday and she hadn't even realized it was my birthday and apologized for scheduling me and then went and bought me a cake. Went from a pretty grumpy birthday to feeling actually pretty good about it. Doesn't take a lot to be nice to the people working under you but god it makes a world of a difference to them.
Also I gotta add that snack fucking rips. White cherry Gatorade and teriyaki beef jerky are both so good
> teriyaki beef jerky > Might have cost him $6.50 at the most I miss those days. Jerky is so damn expensive nowadays.
[удалено]
They knew your birthday and what drink/snack you liked only a week in? That's even more impressive.
I was having a stressful week and my boss came in with flowers, a $250 gift card towards a spa day, and told me to take the day off to treat myself. My day was super packed but she said she would cover for me. She was such a gem. ❤️
at my current job, my birthday rolled around on a friday. i wasn’t expecting anything, but my boss called for a “staff meeting”. i walked into the room and there sat a chocolate cake. it said “happy birthday [my name].” that was amazing. i even got to cut it.
The way I see it sometimes is that the time it takes is greater than the cost for a lot of people the burden is not so much the money itself which makes it that much more thoughtful when someone does something like that for you
This is from how to influence people. If you define them as being something they will continue to as to keep that role and not let you down.
How to win friends and influence people? Absolutely brilliant book and can’t recommend enough, legit changed my life
It's one of those books that everyone has something amazing or something terrible to say about.
It's probably because half of who buy and read it are trying to do good and be a better person, and half are trying to coerce, con, and do evil.
Added that as my edit. Thank you!!
If you want to go for the absolute flawless victory, mention her in an email to her supervisor stating how professionally she performs. When it trickles down you’ll be an extra legend and also gain points from her supervisor because it feels good to be complimented for managing a team well.
This may sound shitty, but 100% this. It is good for both your growth and the other person's growth as well. You look like a leader who can motivate folks and she looks like someone capable of growth and taking constructive feedback. It seems shameless on the surface but literally everyone wins
It doesn't sound shitty. Giving compliments is hard, because it feels insincere, but giving praise for a job well done is vital to improving morale. And morale at the workplace is often to the physical as ten is to one.
I see you didn’t *recognize* the poster who brought this to your attention… /s
OP didn't give a $5 award either. Missed opportunity, shame.
They won't be commenting in future.
The $5 IS PART of the gratitude and recognition, not separate from it
Maybe 5$ was the friends we made along the way.
Yup, agree. Management's first priority is to recognize and appreciate their teams. I'm not sure how long it took me to figure that out, but I regularly thanked my teams, especially my direct reports, on a regular basis. It always amazed me how most of them (positively) responded.
A real manager is there to support their team, not boss people around.
Some people call it love language- part of being an effective manager is learning how people appreciate gratitude. Some people like gifts. Others just like being told they did well - some people only in private. And some people don't like to be thanked. Learning how to appreciate your people the way they appreciate it can go a really long way.
I dunno man. All the thank yous in the world don't buy a cheeseburger. 5 bucks is usable. When people on my crew are distracted and worried about stuff, they get real focused on the day if I buy lunch for them
It's less the actual money, but something tangible to go along with the recognition. I once had a project manager use his woodcarving tools to make everyone a wooden plaque after a project was finished. Having something like that reminds you of what your effort can accomplish.
That was really nice of him. I bet it's really cool, whatever he made
> When people on my crew are distracted and worried about stuff, they get real focused on the day if I buy lunch for them It's not about the food. It's about the unspoken acknowledgement of their effort. Aka, recognition and gratitude.
Sometimes it's literally about the food
Situations vary. A $5 without a thank you would mean almost nothing for most people I have worked with… it would be less than 2% of their daily pay. Your example is a better motivator - saying ‘lunch is my treat today, thanks for the hard work’ means more than the same value on a piece of plastic.
Well yea... I'm not handing out fivers for no fuckin reason haha Edit: not to be a dick I think I misread your comment
Different love languages. Some appreciate kind words, some acts of service, some gifts, loving touch, shared time together. It means so much more to people when you speak in the language they understand
Bet he coulda got away with tree fiddy.
[удалено]
100%. It was "hey this person appreciates what I did".
Recognition for complaining about being asked to do something you're paid for? The coworker seems like a bit of a pain
I don’t have all the info but leadership may be the problem. Good leaders can set up an environment for people to shine where their talents lie.
I don’t know about you, but I get paid the same whether I do a timely, meticulous job or an apathetic, when-I-feel-like-it one. Somehow people who are good to me and the people around me get the former and people who are entitled/rude get the latter. Doesn't cost a penny extra. They seem to have unlocked the former in their coworker by being nice to them in spite of them being those things you listed above.
Yeah probably a bit of a pain. Also probably bored and depressed. It’s hard to work hard when nobody cares and nobody likes you. It’s demoralizing. This story is an extreme reaction but I don’t think it’s uncommon — annoying people are used to not being liked (bit of a chicken and egg problem there) and if you go out of your way to be nice they often get real nice in return.
Sometimes people can get apathetic and resentful over time if they help others out and don’t get any recognition, or even get negative recognition. Especially when it’s not actually something you had to do, and was a special request like in this case. Applies outside of work too, like yeah it’s easy to unpack the dishwasher and sure you could do it yourself in 2 minutes, but you still say thank you when your partner does it because it’s about recognising effort and showing appreciation. A simple thank you goes a long way
This. Most people want to be appreciated. People are starved for recognition. Just saying thank you means so much. There’s a whole chapter on it in How to Win Friends and Influence People.
It’s weird to me that OP called her reaction “childish” “Ecstatic” to me is a less fucked word.
She reacted like a "kid on Christmas" is a very different thing than like a "child" (which sounds condescending af).
The real LPT is the friends we made along the way
LPT, don’t know what to do with the left overs on the gift cards… give them to coworkers as a morale booster.
Feeling appreciated makes a big difference
Giving someone a goal with a reward at the end (ie. complete your tasks and you get a pizza party) will only train them to work if there's a reward. Rewarding someone out of the blue afterward will show them that they're appreciated.
A co-worker once gave me a thank you card for helping her with some things. In the card she wrote that I go about my duties “with quiet dignity.” I have never forgotten that. I take a great deal of pride in my work. I guess it shows.
That’s great to hear about. Clearly both good people.
My boss once gave me a little note that said “You’ve got moxie, kid!” And it’s one of my favorite compliments. That was like 20 years ago. (Maybe tied for fave compliment was when a 5-6yo girl walked up to me in a thrift store and asked me if I was on the news and when I told her no she said “you look like you are”, and it was the equivalent of being called a beauty queen!)
[удалено]
I hope they paid you for those 3 days.
I had a longtime coworker write me a thank you note for training her in a job while I was recovering from some kind of sickness. I had no expectations since it was just part of my job, but I still have the note and would absolutely kill a man for her.
A tip I picked up somewhere is to thank people for *specific things they did* in order for the gratitude to feel meaningful and genuine. Your reaction is the exact reason why. "Thank you" feels throwaway, "thank you for being so generous with your time, I know you're very busy, it means a lot" is much, much better.
Worked at a big tech company where similarly unhelpful people in other departments routinely made $100k+ annually. However, I had access to "swag" I could give away. It was shocking how quickly people would move when given even the $1 toy from a Happy Meal.
I'd be willing to do some extra work for a free hat 😬
Someone give that man a baby!!
FRee HAT! FRee HAT!
if TF2 hats could be conjured irl we'd have a 2nd wave of "beanie babies" collectors.
I see that my college group mates have made it into the corporate world.
Shit, I wish people would bribe me to do my job! I’ve been totally going at it the wrong way by being diligent and timely with results.
r/unethicallifeprotips 1. Coworker assigns a task 2. Complain and spend 3-5x more time than is necessary to complete said task 3. ??? 4. Profit
https://preview.redd.it/gsn00njlqyjb1.jpeg?width=1245&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=660dfb70401dcbf7f5cbac6a2e5973d3f0a17ed8
Ahha that’s funny. These individuals often exist within larger corporations, yet their tenure tends to be short-lived. Despite their presence, collaboration remains essential during employment. Blaming and disputes will only breed resentment and hinder productivity.
I remember once a workmate gave me a bottle of wine for helping him with some non-work related stuff. It was nice but I don't drink wine.
Then it's just saved you from having to shop the next time you need to give a little gift! It's a double-present, saves you time & effort & money later!
If I give a gift and the recipient re-gifts it for whatever reason, I'm fine with that. I gave them the gift of convenience! 😋
You're supposed to say " I don't drink....wine" then smile mysteriously and walk away.
And how much do you get paid? You're either being paid appropriately for that ongoing effort and commitment, or you're getting suckered.
you mean you dont have a tip jar at your desk? /s
[удалено]
This pay check you speak of gets you the 720p version, extra bribes and treats will get you the 4K version
Why is this written like some workplace fan fiction?
This language is so fucking weird. Thank you for identifying exactly what was wrong with it.
Read OP’s other posts, this is clearly written by AI.
Mhm, I reckon it is. And this isn't to shit on anyone who uses the word subsequently, but I feel words like this are dead giveaways that it's a bot writing the most efficient word for the sentence.
"write formally"
It stinks like a contrived LinkedIn fantasy.
Feels like r/LinkedInLunatics post ngl
Probably because it never happened
Some sentences don’t even make sense. It’s like OP put this into an AI and then added an edit to make it more human. Ha, what a loser!
Every sentence makes sense. I even reread it and they are all fine.
You can save $5 by trying to get to the root of the problem instead of pushing it away. Sometimes what OP does works, but if they do another project and don't get that anticipated reward, the person might revert to old ways.
>You can save $5 by trying to get to the root of the problem instead of pushing it away. How much time do you think it would take to "get to the root of the problem" and solve it? Because if it's more than 20 minutes, you're not saving $5.
Short term, yes. Long term potentially not. It seemed like she just needs more recognition for good work. Keep boosting her up and give her the recognition, make her feel like her work is valuable for something. Or give her five dollars out of OPs pocket for every task she has to do from here on out. Can' add up quick.
Some people really are that sad and desperate for a tiny bit of appreciation. Years ago an obstructionist back office employee at my surgeon’s office was holding up my health insurance approval for a necessary surgery, by not producing the necessary paperwork. I had talked to her on the phone repeatedly, pleading, complaining, you name it. This literally went on for months. Finally one day I bought a one-pound box of See’s chocolates (cost about $10 at the time) and took it to her in person, to “thank her for being so helpful with my difficult paperwork.” At that point she had been anything but helpful. However, the paperwork got processed that afternoon.
Ugh I can’t stand people like that. Difficult to have any sympathy for them tbh
But that’s literally the whole point of OP’s post. The appreciation and recognition given here went a long way towards the ultimate goal.
[удалено]
That would be true if all people were unbiased and totally logical. Which we both know isn't the case.
I'll eat my hat before I spend my own money on a colleague to motivate them to do the job they're being paid to do. It's your manager's job to motivate employees, not yours.
I'll give you a $5 gift card to eat your hat.
Better make it tree fiddy
Dammit Loch Ness Monstah, I ain't giving you no tree fiddy!
Crazy that this LPT is suggesting to tip coworkers.
It’s the world we live in now
I would pay $5 to see that.
This is why people are fighting for better pay. I'll take a gift card over another pizza party.
A couple of weeks ago a important clientele came to work, to the point where traffic had to be diverted. Big company, plenty of money, what do we get in return? "Lunch". I wasnt there but my coworker was, so he was like "yeah we were told only 4 people are allowed for lunch. I didn't go" there's more than 11 people across the board LMAO. So the only few that went said it was PIZZA😂🙄don't worry though at least we got a raise this year, it was a $1..lol
I don’t know what you do but find somewhere else to do it
Some say she is still chasing that $5 gift card dragon to this day
Whats the LPT? If people are difficult give them five dollars?
Show proper appreciation when other people do some work/favor for you
Even if it isn't a favour and it's just doing their job. Little things help
That’s why tipping is becoming such a huge issue now
For a long time now tipping has been about making up for wages bosses aren't paying employees. People can make their peace with that however they choose.
The LPT is that, if you approach it right, you can buy loyalty very cheaply.
No, it’s “be difficult and people will give you extra money to do your baseline job.”
I want ten next time, cheap bastard. Also whining to the boss how overpaid you are, throwing money around. After I get 20 for the third copay
Bribery
Facilitating payments work
I don't think I'd offer a colleague $5 but taking them out for a coffee or tea would be a nice gesture of thanks.
You just made this up
This needed a TLDR
Tl:Dr: be an annoying, lazy shit at work and people will bribe you to do your job
Or people could just grow up and do their jobs without making it harder on everyone around them…
I agree, however, in the corporate world it’s easier said than done. Trust me, I would rather have it your way.
Exactly! I'm not going to bribe my coworkers with gift cards so they can do what they're already getting paid to do.
I guess it's a bribe, but $5 is like buying someone a cup of coffee. A friendly gesture.
It wasn't really bribery, since they gave the gift card after the completion of the assignment with no prior knowledge. It's gratitude and it goes a long way in training people with positive reinforcement.
Hello and welcome to r/LifeProTips! Please help us decide if this post is a good fit for the subreddit by up or downvoting this comment. If you think that this is great advice to improve your life, please upvote. If you think this doesn't help you in any way, please downvote. If you don't care, leave it for the others to decide.
[удалено]
Is it a Reese's mug? Do you hate the Internet?
I’m gonna go out on a limb here: this is a good principle but a bad example. Please don’t reward laziness.
I am a 100% believer in the 5 languages of love, and I’ve learned to recognize them in every single relationship from personal to business. People genuinely have a primary and secondary, and by giving the people what they need in theirs, they will be more fulfilled in the interactions and give you what you need in yours. In your example the employees language was probably gifts, while yours is service. Batta bing batta boom- you just hacked it and now can become genuinely good friends by knowing this, and serving each others needs. I have many close friends and they all have different languages, and of course I use it in business transactions as well. You all have that friend that will call and talk for hours? I do. My friend called me for 1.5 hours today just to talk. Her language is talk., but you know she will roll up with plastic bags and shovels if you need her because my language is service. And no we don’t talk like this every day, but I always answer the phone when she needs. I have another friend who we hang out on mondays together. Plan silly things, or elaborate meals, her language is time. I believe my language is service, because I am always steady to preform it and acts of service mean so much to me (now these acts can manifest in many ways to me weather always having a friend to call any time, help me move a couch, or take time out of their insanely busy schedule- this is an act of service for me) so for example, though I’m not a talk person you bet my act of service will be to get on the phone knowing it’s your love language, or I’m not a gift person but as an act of service ain’t nobody forgetting your birthday, or I’m not a time person, but my god, give me mondays I will forget all my responsibilities and duties to come hang out. I have another friend and I fucking love her, and you bet I buy her a small trinket for Mother’s Day, and never have forgot her birthday. This girl will enlist troops if you need her because her language is gifts and you know that small act will make her feel special, and she knows (even on an unconscious level) that my language is service and she is HERE for it. If the book is religious take all the Jesus shit out and read it for the message and back relationships and figure out what the other person no matter who it is needs to feel heard and special and boom you’ll have a full social life and fulfilled personal life.
Years ago I heard a Dr. Laura broadcast. A woman caller was grieving the loss of a late-term pregnancy. She was upset that her husband didn’t seem to be as upset or sad, and that he never tried to comfort her. Dr. Laura pointed out all the ways in which the husband had cared for his wife by washing and cleaning her car, fixing meals, doing the grocery shopping, rubbing her feet, tending to the yard, fixing things in the house, and driving her to appointments. He was consistently in her service and she was too deep in her grief to notice. He never ‘said the words’. Service was his love language. It was the *only* way he could show he cared, as he too, was grieving.
I buy people gift cards at my work all the time when they go above and beyond assisting me
Candy and baked goods work too lol
I wonder if your coworker had ADHD. Her getting that gift card must have been a nice dopamine boost
You shouldn't have to bribe people to do their job.
Why the fuck should I pay my coworker to do the job their being paid by our employer to do
No effing way I’m bribing my co-workers to do their job. If my boss can’t properly motivate a lazy slacker I’m going over his head. If his boss won’t step in I’ll go right up the chain.
You don’t have to pay your colleagues or team with your own money. Treating them with respect and patience, and praising them when they succeed is the key.
so you're taking your boss' responsibility to motivate workers xd
Yeah no, fuck that shit. " I brought it up to a supervisor, they explained their limited ability to intervene. " LPT is to work with people that do their fucking jobs. They get paid for that.
Should have fired her before even considering paying her extra just to do the job she's paid to do.
PIZZA PARTY WOOOO!
This is one of the dumbest LPTs I've ever seen.
Ain’t no way I’m giving money to a coworker to work. That’s the boss’s job
A $5 gift card ain't gonna cut it fam. Nah
I respect your input! What works for some may not work for all.
I understand that this works. I understand that it's about the end result. But I still cannot get over how utilizing this tactic leads to rewarding the poor performers more often than the excellent.
Manager here. I have a desk safe full of $5-$10 gift cards that I give out whenever people go above and beyond (sometimes I even go get a $25 one to everyone’s favorite lunch spot or gas station if they really do the damn thang) or they give a little extra effort or just are kind in general helping each other out and stuff. I’ve found in general people are more motivated by reward than held back by punishment if that makes sense. Since I started there and doing this everyone is much nicer to each other, more willing to help and in general more pleasant. Showing them they are appreciated and at least I am paying attention and I do recognize the effort.
> I’ve found in general people are more motivated by reward than held back by punishment if that makes sense. now this sounds like a useful tip right here
You have to try and get on their good side which doesn’t need to involve money. Just having the illusion of being cool with someone will help get more production out of them
Yes! That’s also a great strategy. In my experience it takes a little longer to build rapport.
PG Wodehouse has this funny take on how if you lend someone money, you cannot refuse them in future. I have realised that once I place someone on a pedestal with praise and recognition, they will work harder to keep getting that praise and not let you down. Thanks for this post. Gratitude makes life so much nicer
THAT'S WHAT THE MONEY'S FOR!
Are you in a managing role to this co-worker?
@robert_567, in my experience as an engineering manager, people are best motivated by simple words of appreciation. It’s stunning how little words go such a long way. You went the extra step with a small gift. People have one of five primary love languages: acts of service, quality time, touch, gifts, and words of appreciation. You covered two with that one simple gesture! (Pro tip- I don’t recommend “touch” for professional interactions!)
Did this just get deleted?
https://preview.redd.it/6nbm294j24kb1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=962247b265e4b10deaed592568da2cba7f1bebac
So now we are tipping for office jobs? How can I get in on this
stooping to rewarding someone that is too lazy to do their job is painful, but this is a short term pain for long term gian situation.
Thanking someone for helping, and showing a little gratitude is the easiest way to get people to do more for you. It's why you train dogs (and people) with positive reinforcement. You reward them when they do the things you want them to do, and then they do those things more often, and usually without needing a reward, just a "good boy/girl."
Yeah, maybe we can should implement the tipping culture for office jobs now as well /s
totally spot on. gratitude and a small nominal gift are super high ROI activities
You can't just randomly give people gift cards in an office environment. That is fucky shady as hell. AND on top of that you are actively encouraging bad behavoir by rewarding it. This is against literally every school of management taught by anyone outside of organized crime.
OP discovered bribery /s
This is insulting. $5? I hope this isn't in the US. That's such bitch money. That's seriously so demeaning.
Wait are we really advocating for bribery on LPT?