Notice the nuances.
The story goes that a tourist once spotted Pablo Picasso sketching in a Paris cafe and asked if he would sketch her. She offered to pay him fair value. In just a few minutes, Picasso had finished. When asked what she owed him, Picasso asked for the large sum of 5,000 francs.
“But it only took you a few minutes,” protested the tourist.
“No,” said Picasso, “it took me my whole life.”
Sometimes, as supervisors, we take for granted the knowledge and skill base of our workers—because they make their jobs look easy. It’s not until they have left the company for greener pastures and we try to find someone with similar qualifications that we truly appreciate what we had.
What unique abilities, knowledge and experiences do each of your employees bring to the table, benefiting the company each day? Appreciating these often-overlooked nuances shows a sharp eye and an appreciation for talent—the mark of a master at recognition.