people are awesome

[aroraborealis]

GodDAMN but I love seeing good people skills in action.

I'm watching an email exchange between a couple of colleagues -- one, a passive aggressive VP; the other, a gregarious director. The VP jumped into the conversation snippily putting words in the director's mouth, and the director responded carefully and clearly in a way that completely diffused what could have been a ridiculous fighty mess. The VP's feathers are now totally unruffled, and the conversation is continuing as a happy hashing out of details among colleagues who share an overarching goal.

So then I had the great pleasure of sending an admiring email to the director about this. So happy making all around!

So: compliment time! Comment here and I'll tell you something I like and/or admire about you. (Comments answered in the order they're received, and with occasional lags for me to do actual work.)

Comments

[yagagriswold.livejournal.com]

Me, please?

I admire the way you integrate goodness and kindness into all you do. Every decision I've seen you make was with a combination of gut-deep warmth and well-thought-through principles.

[aroraborealis.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I certainly aspire to that, though I'm certain I don't always succeed.

I admire your combination of glee and earnestness, each of which wonderfully balances the other both socially and professionally.

[jillbertini.livejournal.com]

I can't tell you how much I appreciate you sharing examples of people working together and/or working well. After my last corporate experience, it's taking a lot of new information for me to believe that this is even possible! And I love this story. Thank you!

[aroraborealis.livejournal.com]

It is SUCH a pleasure to experience, too, in any context, but especially a corporate one, where the human element can often be lost or trampled.

I really admire your deep exploration of self and community in the context of joy.

[metaphortunate.livejournal.com]

I agree with this!

[lyonesse.livejournal.com]

people skills probably won't be it, but i'm awfully curious :)

[aroraborealis.livejournal.com]

I admire your involvement with and commitment to building community, and in particular, the work entailed therein. It's easy to talk the talk; you also walk the walk.

[lyonesse.livejournal.com]

why thank you! fwiw i could have said exactly the same thing about you.

[aroraborealis.livejournal.com]

High praise - thank you!

[lazyz.livejournal.com]

I love when you do this. Rosie forth!

[aroraborealis.livejournal.com]

:D <3 :*

I admire your balance between stability and change, and your willingness to engage with things that scare you.

[keyne.livejournal.com]

You're terrific at giving compliments, and I always appreciate when you do this.

[aroraborealis.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

I admire your perseverance, even when the going gets hard.

[cutieperson]

I love the glee you get at supporting people in being their best selves.

[aroraborealis.livejournal.com]

Thank you, and ME TOO! It is SO FUN.

I admire your forthright honesty and your ability to overcome your fears and trepidations!

[cutieperson]

oh, thank you. those are excellent compliments to receive!

[ceo]

You are awesomely competent at everything you do. Either that or you're also awesomely competent at covering up your abject failures. :-)

And, like everyone else, I love that you do this.

[aroraborealis.livejournal.com]

Thank you! :D Believe me, I totally fail sometimes.

I admire your sense of play in the world.

[contessagrrl.livejournal.com]

you have a lot of skills, but helping people see the best in themselves is up there. :)

[http://users.livejournal.com/_sabriel_/]

yes, I've thought this, too!!

[aroraborealis.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

I admire the way you help people expand their horizons, sometimes without them even realizing that you're doing it until they realize the world has gotten bigger thanks to your influence.

[dpolicar]

I admire the intentionality with which you engage your environment.

How's the new house? Which I realize isn't really new anymore.

[aroraborealis.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

The new house is rock awesome.

I admire the connections you make -- between ideas, between people, between communities.

[lifecollage.livejournal.com]

I have always admired your striving towards balance between inner strength, tact and grace, compassion, and honesty. You hold space for others to be truthful and open and vulnerable, without judgment. Thank you.

[aroraborealis.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

I admire your thoughtful pursuit of whatever it is you have in your sights. You don't rest of your laurels or wallow in discontent, and you put words and desire into considered action.

[harimad.livejournal.com]

I admire your capacity for happiness/contentment/joy.

Your post is well-timed for ms as my family vacation has turned out to be exceedingly stressful. The reason it is so is fall-out from my mother's almost total lact of capacity for contentment & joy (she won't take the 80% solution and her efforts to get that last 15% often puts those around her through hell) so it gives me great pleasure to see contentment & joy in action.

[aroraborealis.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I feel like a lot of that is luck of body chemistry, but some of it is choice, which is always empowering!

I admire the way you look for ways to improve things -- maybe this is the happier version of what your mom tries to do!

[http://users.livejournal.com/_sabriel_/]

I really appreciate your ability to be in-the-moment and truly PRESENT whenever we are able to spend time together. I also love your ability to provide constructive "course corrections"- in either a gentle or stern way, depending on the situation at hand, and always with impeccable manners.

[aroraborealis.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I love spending time with you, rare as it may be.

I admire your fortitude, even when things are legitimately super hard, you keep moving, with love and warmth and human spirit.

[regyt.livejournal.com]

Yesplease!

I love the way you always ask the best questions. Your posts make me pause and think and wonder, and I treasure that.

[aroraborealis.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

Since almost as soon as we first met, I've admired your forthright and direct communication. It has both inspired me and modeled for me what that can look like, both with friends and strangers.

[rising-moon.livejournal.com]

I love that you invite. You are like a great wonderful shimmering welcome, omnidirectional, that inspires people to reach back and be awesome too. :)