Great Management

I'd like to start a dialogue about managing creative departments... specifically, positive feedback.

What have you done lately to let your department know it is appreciated? Or what has your boss done to make you feel valued.

As this business gets tougher and finding good employees gets even tougher - what are we doing to encourage good work, out-of-the-box thinking and for going the extra mile?

I once worked for a boss who always brought his staff out to dinner after a hard fought sweeps. Win or lose - we'd go to a terrific restaurant. I felt appreciated.

I've had courtside seats at an NBA game, courtesy of a boss. I've received free icecream on Fridays during sweeps. I've had others decorate the office with framed storyboards of our best work, complete with credits.

One of my favorites is getting an email from the GM or my boss saying what a good job I'd done. Now, what did that take? A few moments of his time? But it meant the world to me, especially as a young producer.

Another technique that isn't an "atta-boy" but let me know how much my boss respected me? He didn't keep secrets from me. As a junior producer, I'd get pulled into his office and told "This is confidential - but you should know the image spot for so and so - stop working on it - that person may be leaving the station."

I was a young pup... but my boss trusted me enough to reveal information that could get him fired. Dumb on his part? No, not if you trust your team. He knew I needed to know that information and he told it to me. No lectures on "Don't tell anyone!" -- it was understood. That is a story that had a longlasting impact on me. I was treated with respect... and I will always hold that boss in high regard.

So... what do you do to lift your team? What has a boss done to make you feel appreciated? I hope this elicits some great responses.