It's never too late to commend an old colleague

Farm your social media wisely

Social Media is an intricate relationship and networking environment that needs nurturing much as it needs to be weeded and pruned like a vine so that it can bear much fruit for good wine.

Well over a decade ago, I attended an interview for the role of a technical specialist, it was going well and during that interview, I was promoted to the role of a technical architect. On the first day of work, it appeared everyone else who had been engaged thought I was one of the juniors in the team. It was no time to be a diva, these were people I needed to get the job done.

So, I mucked in with everyone, did and the simple and difficult whilst taking the time to teach, explain, mentor, educate as required. I was also on a postgraduate programme at the time.

Invisible acts for visible benefits

One particular young man, somewhat introverted and quiet stood out for the talent of being able to produce efficient, time and cost-saving tools that helped us a great deal. In my view, it was one of the most valuable members of the team, even if for whatever reason others did not recognise how his utilities considerably raised the productivity of the team.

After I left that the role, I never encountered someone who had significantly changed the team dynamic that way he did, and I did not seem to be presented with an opportunity to commend him and recommend him.

Never too late for a commendation

However, this evening, as I was reviewing my profile, I saw that he had visited and I could not have had a better chance to pen a few sentences down about our working relationship, because there had to be a record. That is what I did which initiated a conversation and a sanguine trip down memory lane.

If the opportunity presents itself, I will willingly work with him again, much as there are others I would love to be on my team. I have worked in many places in the last 20 years, encountered hundreds of people with various levels of expertise and camaraderie, but the few that stand out, do because they were good people first and good at what they do, and in doing what they were good at, helped everyone else get things done better, faster, and beautifully.

Of those people, we must when given the opportunity, speak up for them, support them, commend them, provide glowing references, and promote them. We can see the best of humanity in the work environment and celebrate it too.