Sometimes, saying thank you just isn't enough. But gifts aren't always what people want either! So, how do you show gratitude and appreciation to your team? In this episode, Kirk Behrendt brings back Michelle Wakeman, one of ACT’s amazing coaches, to reveal the five languages of appreciation to help you make your team feel valued at work. To learn the easiest way to improve your culture, increase productivity, and enjoy coming to work, listen to Episode 818 of The Best Practices Show!

Learn More About Michelle:

• Send Michelle an email: michelle@actdental.com 
• Follow Michelle on ACT’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/actdental
• Send Gina an email: gina@actdental.com 

More Helpful Links for a Better Practice & a Better Life:

• Subscribe to The Best Practices Show: https://the-best-practices-show.captivate.fm/listen
• Join The Best Practices Association: https://www.actdental.com/bpa
• Join ACT’s To The Top Study Club: https://www.actdental.com/ttt
• See the ACT Dental/BPA Live Event Schedule: https://www.actdental.com/event
• Get The Best Practices Magazine for free: https://www.actdental.com/magazine
• Please leave us a review on the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-best-practices-show-with-kirk-behrendt/id1223838218

Episode Resources:

• Watch the video version of Episode 818: https://www.youtube.com/@actdental/videos
• Read The 5 Languages of Love by Gary Chapman: https://5lovelanguages.com/store/the-5-love-languages
• Read The 5 Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace: https://shop.appreciationatwork.com/products/the-5-languages-of-appreciation-in-the-workplace-1

Main Takeaways:

• How you like to be shown appreciation is not the same for others.
• Learn the five languages of appreciation and how to express them.
• Most people like gifts. But it’s not the primary language of appreciation.
• Speak or write words of affirmation to show your appreciation for others.
• Perform acts of service. Even small gestures will mean a lot to your team.
• Quality time in the form of check-ins and team meetings will show you care.
• Appropriate physical touch can positively change the culture of your practice.
• Be genuine when showing appreciation. People can tell when it’s disingenuous.
• Do a team appreciation survey so that everyone knows one another’s language.

Snippets:

0:00 Introduction.

1:53 Why this is an important topic.

4:22 The five languages: Words of affirmation.

7:55 The five languages: Quality time.

10:16 The five languages: Acts of service.

11:33 The five languages: Gifts.

14:21 The five languages: Physical touch.

16:11 Be genuine.

16:58 How to systematize this in your practice.

19:20 Have scheduled downtime.

21:05 Final takeaways.

Michelle Wakeman, BSDH, Bio:

Michelle Wakeman, BSDH, brings nearly 20 years of clinical dental hygiene, administrative, managerial, and sales experience to the table. She has a passion for people and a natural aptitude for communication that has led her to develop meaningful relationships throughout her career in dentistry. As a coach, she seeks to help dental practices develop systems that enable them to enhance their patient experience, leading to better relationships among owners, team members, and patients, along with profitable outcomes.

In her off time, Michelle can usually be found at the ice rink supporting her son, Hunter, in hockey, the ball field cheering on her son, Carter, or the gym, reliving her days as a gymnast with her daughter, Leighton.