Mike Wirth, chairman and CEO of Chevron, takes time to ship customized messages of appreciation to workers throughout the worldwide power large.
In a wide-ranging interview Thursday on the How Leaders Lead podcast with host David Novak, the pinnacle of the second largest U.S. oil firm by market cap defined how recognizing others is a vital piece of sustaining a powerful company tradition.
For instance, when he visits Chevron workers world wide, they function his hosts, present him their operations, and take him to fulfill prospects.
Afterward, he writes a letter to them—the “old fashioned, on paper” form that you simply don’t get a lot anymore, Wirth identified.
He added that he pays cautious consideration to every individual he interacted with and sends letters to every one to thank them for his or her time in addition to recognizing what they talked about and sharing how a lot he valued it.
“I feel again to once I was early in my profession, and if a CEO had despatched me a letter and really knew what I used to be doing, it could have been a very huge deal for me,” Wirth mentioned. “And so I attempt to bear in mind what it was prefer to be within the jobs that I’m visiting and that I had these jobs myself one time. And I need to make it possible for individuals know that I respect them.”
Once you’re operating an organization as huge as Chevron, all these meet-and-greets can add up. After getting back from a visit, Wirth estimated that he writes 60-80 letters.
“It’s necessary to me I that ensure individuals perceive that I used to be paying consideration and I actually do worth what they do,” he defined.
Taking the time to put in writing thank-you letters can repay as latest surveys present many staff don’t really feel valued sufficient.
In response to a report from Canva, 56% really feel appreciated or very appreciated at work, whereas 44% really feel unacknowledged or impartial in how their employer addresses their contributions, and 75% want they felt extra valued.
In the meantime, different CEOs additionally exit of their method to write to point out their appreciation with customized notes.
Neiman Marcus CEO Geoffroy van Raemdonck swears by them and informed Fortune final yr that he sends thank-you notes each single day.
Earlier than the COVID-19 pandemic, van Raemdonck mentioned he would ship wherever between three and 5 handwritten thank-you notes a day. Throughout and after the pandemic, as staff switched to distant or hybrid work schedules, he switched to texts, emails, and fast telephone calls.
“I need to be a beneficiant chief,” he mentioned. “The best way I remind myself is by recognizing the generosity of others.”
