10 Ways to Appreciate the “Teachers” In Your Life
This week is Teacher Appreciation Week, and we can all agree that teachers should be appreciated every week and all year long. We know it’s one of the hardest, yet most rewarding, jobs in the world. When we think of “teachers” we appropriately think of school teachers and college professors, but given that our learning extends well beyond graduation, this is also an opportunity to acknowledge, appreciate and celebrate the other types of teachers in our lives.
Think of all the executive and athletic coaches, formal and informal mentors, organizational leaders and managers, thought leaders and inspirational gurus, and the wise friends and even wiser elders in your life that have shared their wisdom with you in a way that encouraged you to think more critically, grow more expansively, elevate more exponentially, and dig more deeply. Think of the people who have challenged you, pushed you, and believed in you…those are all the “teachers” in your life.
At ON Point, we know how critical it is to be a lifelong learner committed to a lifetime of growth and development. The teaching and learning never ends, but the classroom and environment may change. Whether you are working 1:1 with an executive coach, joining your colleagues at a leadership retreat, attending an industry conference, or working towards a new degree or certification, the goal is the same – to learn.
There is no finish line or expiration date on learning. It is basic Darwinism – those who don’t evolve, change, and adapt become extinct and obsolete. With how quickly change happens today and with how complicated our lives have become, this is more true today than ever. From the introspective journey in learning more about ourselves to the future-forward vision about what is possible, the opportunities to learn from a wide variety of teachers, coaches, and experts is endless.
Recognizing that no one grows and develops on their own, follow the ON Point Action Plan and show some appreciation to the “teachers” in your life.
- Send a handwritten and heartfelt thank you note
- Provide specific feedback about how they helped you
- Give them credit and a shout out on social media
- Make a donation in their name to a cause they support
- Pay it forward in a meaningful way
- Support their passions and celebrate their successes
- Refer and recommend them or their program to others
- Connect or reconnect in-person or online and share updates
- Show genuine interest
- Continue to learn, grow, and develop
