I was asked today to come up with an award for two employees for one of our local plumbing contractors. The two employees had completed a long training and certification course in their field. Both men attended our local Shasta Builders Exchange who offered an advanced plumbing and heating education course that took several years to complete on their own time. This is a BIG deal for adding service credibility to their customers.
The plumbing company Wallner Plumbing Heating and Air is owned by a close friend of mine who has achieved hundreds of awards throughout his career by public service organizations, national trade associations and even a State Level Assembly Award..... how am I going to provide a suitable token of appreciation for his employees? To make it unique? How to make it effective and better than before? The list goes on.
After several hours of racking my brain it hit me like a lead pipe upside the head. It wasn't what the award would be made of or if it where etched in crystal or glass. The recognition is in the work done by loyal and hardworking employees that went over and above the call of duty for their job. The employees action alone is what caught the attention of my friend who wants to show his appreciation for a job well done.
Without hesitation my creative juices started flowing, my pen manifesting images on paper of what the perfect trophy would be for these two well deserving individuals. The words that accompanied my living drawings were like something off of the desk of Walt Disney. Thousands of letters floating through the air in masses, tiny chirping birds landing on my shoulders singing words of encouragement in my ears, maidens dancing in long flowing frocks, shooting stars playing dot-to-dot with the constellations, and all the while the happiest music on earth playing in the background of my mind.
To help put all of this happiness in adult perspective; by not concentrating on the physical components of the trophy and how it will look rather than how it will effect the recipient, I was able to create a unique one of a kind award that met the needs of the client and one that will live on desks, shelves and walls of his employees work space for years to come. Simply a symbol of accomplishment and pride in the work they do each day and a reminder for others to do the same and work for a rewarding goal.
In closing my thoughts are reinforced on how I respond when someone asks me "how do you like what you do? I respond each and every time, "I have the happiest job in the world." "Where only a few words inscribed on a piece of glass or metal can raise productivity and promote a better place to be."
