Comments on: The present connundrum http://www.everyjoe.com/articles/the-present-connundrum/ Sports News - Tech Reviews - Entertainment - Life Tips for EveryJoe Tue, 01 Dec 2009 20:03:07 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Crawdaddy http://www.everyjoe.com/articles/the-present-connundrum/comment-page-1/#comment-310135 Crawdaddy Tue, 19 Dec 2006 19:29:30 +0000 http://slackermanager.com/2006/12/the-present-connundrum.html#comment-310135 <p>.... one more thought: I have a bunch of kids and it's sort of expected that we should buy gifts for their teachers. Small gifts, but something. I remember a teacher telling me a few years ago, "For teachers, you can't go wrong with a gift cards to Barnes & Noble or Starbucks. What teacher doesn't love books or a luxury cup of joe?" Makes a lot of sense to me.</p> …. one more thought: I have a bunch of kids and it’s sort of expected that we should buy gifts for their teachers. Small gifts, but something. I remember a teacher telling me a few years ago, “For teachers, you can’t go wrong with a gift cards to Barnes & Noble or Starbucks. What teacher doesn’t love books or a luxury cup of joe?” Makes a lot of sense to me.

]]> By: Bren http://www.everyjoe.com/articles/the-present-connundrum/comment-page-1/#comment-310136 Bren Tue, 19 Dec 2006 04:47:31 +0000 http://slackermanager.com/2006/12/the-present-connundrum.html#comment-310136 <p>Thanks, Crawdaddy. I love to give and get books, too. And 'War of Art' is one I've wanted to read. I'm going to read through your posts!</p> <p>BTW, I ended up getting gift cards at <a href="http://powells.com" rel="nofollow">Powells</a>, here in Portland. Best bookstore, ever.</p> Thanks, Crawdaddy. I love to give and get books, too. And ‘War of Art’ is one I’ve wanted to read. I’m going to read through your posts!

BTW, I ended up getting gift cards at Powells, here in Portland. Best bookstore, ever.

]]> By: Crawdaddy http://www.everyjoe.com/articles/the-present-connundrum/comment-page-1/#comment-310137 Crawdaddy Tue, 19 Dec 2006 02:02:00 +0000 http://slackermanager.com/2006/12/the-present-connundrum.html#comment-310137 <p>I am a manager of six people, and I work on a team of seven other managers. None of the people I manage, nor the managers I work with, expect a gift from me or from each other. But each year, I like to find one book that I have particularly enjoyed and that I think will have wide appeal among these 13 people and give a copy to all of them. I like this approach because it's a gift that's personal (though not personalized) and I find that, because almost no one has the guts to buy a book for someone else, it's much appreciated. This year, the book I'm giving them all is The War of Art, by Steven Pressfield - which I wrote about in a recent post at crawdaddycove.com. I will write a brief, not-too-personal note to all of them, too, but I really let the gift/book do the talking for me.</p> I am a manager of six people, and I work on a team of seven other managers. None of the people I manage, nor the managers I work with, expect a gift from me or from each other. But each year, I like to find one book that I have particularly enjoyed and that I think will have wide appeal among these 13 people and give a copy to all of them. I like this approach because it’s a gift that’s personal (though not personalized) and I find that, because almost no one has the guts to buy a book for someone else, it’s much appreciated. This year, the book I’m giving them all is The War of Art, by Steven Pressfield – which I wrote about in a recent post at crawdaddycove.com. I will write a brief, not-too-personal note to all of them, too, but I really let the gift/book do the talking for me.

]]> By: Bren http://www.everyjoe.com/articles/the-present-connundrum/comment-page-1/#comment-310139 Bren Wed, 13 Dec 2006 06:06:54 +0000 http://slackermanager.com/2006/12/the-present-connundrum.html#comment-310139 <p>Lora, I <em>did</em> ask (some of them) what they wanted. Kinda sounded like gift cards were the thing. I like the book store gift card idea...think I'll go with that. And probably some food. Food is always good.</p> Lora, I did ask (some of them) what they wanted. Kinda sounded like gift cards were the thing. I like the book store gift card idea…think I’ll go with that. And probably some food. Food is always good.

]]> By: Lora Adrianse http://www.everyjoe.com/articles/the-present-connundrum/comment-page-1/#comment-310140 Lora Adrianse Tue, 12 Dec 2006 23:22:16 +0000 http://slackermanager.com/2006/12/the-present-connundrum.html#comment-310140 <p>Bren, you could always ask them what they want :)</p> <p>I thought it was important to reward/recognize people with things they valued,</p> <p>Here's a little something I used to do at the beginning of every year...</p> <p>I created a categorized form/list with items they could check off and space they could write in. Things like:</p> <p>Food treats - popcorn, candy, coffees, teas, special sodas, etc. Entertainment - movie tickets, symphony tickets, arena tickets etc. Gift cards - book stores, target, etc. Misc. - car wash passes, vacation days, leave early for no reason coupons, etc.</p> <p>At the beginning of every year, everyone needed to update their list and turn it in.</p> <p>It served us all. They always got something they valued and I always had a running list.</p> <p>Cheers!</p> <p>Lora</p> Bren, you could always ask them what they want :)

I thought it was important to reward/recognize people with things they valued,

Here’s a little something I used to do at the beginning of every year…

I created a categorized form/list with items they could check off and space they could write in. Things like:

Food treats – popcorn, candy, coffees, teas, special sodas, etc.
Entertainment – movie tickets, symphony tickets, arena tickets etc.
Gift cards – book stores, target, etc.
Misc. – car wash passes, vacation days, leave early for no reason coupons, etc.

At the beginning of every year, everyone needed to update their list and turn it in.

It served us all. They always got something they valued and I always had a running list.

Cheers!

Lora

]]> By: Rhea http://www.everyjoe.com/articles/the-present-connundrum/comment-page-1/#comment-310141 Rhea Tue, 12 Dec 2006 20:26:30 +0000 http://slackermanager.com/2006/12/the-present-connundrum.html#comment-310141 <p>I think personal notes go a long way! No one writes letters anymore, and getting one from your boss saying you are 'amazing' would be great.</p> I think personal notes go a long way! No one writes letters anymore, and getting one from your boss saying you are ‘amazing’ would be great.

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