Attitude of Gratitude

November can sometimes be a gray and rainy month in Pennsylvania, but one bright spot is Thanksgiving. I love the Thanksgiving holiday not just for all the fabulous food and family time, but because of the focus on gratitude. It seems fitting then to share that high on my list of things I appreciate about ALL4 is our Attitude of Gratitude. An organization that strives for excellence may not be unique, but I think the way we do it is. For many, excellence equals internal cutthroat competition. For us, it means investing in each other; sharing knowledge and opportunities so that everyone grows—not just a select few. I love that we are an organization that says thank you a lot. In fact, we say it every single Monday when we take time in our company-wide meeting to publicly give “high fives” to our co-workers for a job well done and for embodying one (or more) of our core values. Our culture encourages everyone to be comfortable saying thank you to the person who reached out with compassion, displayed extra effort, or provided meaningful, authentic feedback. High Fives underscore a “we” instead of “me” mentality. Although this may feel a bit strange for new employees at first, it quickly becomes habit. This type of recognition is free and powerful, and when you take time to appreciate someone’s effort you increase engagement, loyalty, trust, and positivity. The best part of this prevalent attitude of gratitude is that it flows in all directions where you’re just as likely to find the CEO give and receive appreciation as a part-time administrative employee at ALL4. We also take time each week for “celebrations” where any employee can share something great happening in their own life or the life of someone they love. Celebrations have ranged from an employee announcing their engagement to celebrating a big proposal win to announcing that a child rocked an athletic event. For a company that touts the philosophy of one for all and all for one, “Celebrations” provide insight to what is meaningful to employees outside of work which, not surprisingly, winds up increasing connection and caring inside of work. Bottom line, gratitude is a powerful lens that amplifies the good surrounding us.

The other thing I appreciate about Thanksgiving is that there is always room for another seat at the table. You know where I am going with this right? Growth! During this extraordinary year, ALL4 has been able to grow our talent by over 40 percent. I feel so fortunate that even in the midst of COVID-19, ALL4 continues to put out the proverbial welcome mat and make room for new voices, new leaders, new services, and new ideas. I am impressed that ALL4 is open to setting an extra place at the table. Perhaps you will find it manifested in how we transition an employee onto a project team or by our continued investment in additional technical offerings. Regardless, this growth benefits the group at large by providing professional opportunities for our employees, increased technical expertise for our clients, and a dynamic, rather that static, environment in which to work. If there was ever a year to be grateful for things both large and small in the workplace, 2020 is the year. We are so proud of our resilient employees and truly appreciative of their ability to create value and distinction for our clients. We are also grateful for our clients and their continued trust in ALL4 during these trying times. Thank you and Happy Thanksgiving!