Love is a complex entity. Its meaning varies depending on the nature of the relationship. You love your spouse different than you love your sibling or your child. You love your dentist different than you love your favorite television show.
Just as there are varied meanings to love, so are there varied ways of expressing it.
My friend’s grandfather was a kind, but quiet man. I used to like going to his house when we were kids. One day my friend asked his grandmother, “How do you know Grandpa loves you? He never tells you so.”
I never forgot his grandmother’s response. She said, “He doesn’t have to tell me, he shows me.”
She proceeded to explain that her husband showed her he loved her every time he sacrificed his time to fill her car up with gas, wash the dishes, cut the grass, or do the million other selfless tasks that made her life easier.
Words are nice, but our actions will always speak louder—especially when it comes to love. With Valentine’s Day approaching, now is a good time to consider how you show love to your teammates.
Here are ten ways to do so:
1. Bring them food. Is there anything more appreciated than a timely snack? Providing food to a teammate who is ill or too busy to stop to get food demonstrates consideration and empathy.
2. Show up on time. Punctuality is a sign of respect, and respect is a sign of love. By showing up on time, you relieve your teammates of an unnecessary worry.
3. Clean up after them when they are rushed. Sometimes our teammates are pressed to meet deadlines and don’t have enough time to tidy up after themselves before rushing out the door. Clean up their mess and give them one less thing to worry about when they return.
4. Listen when they need to vent. The previous points revolved around lightening your teammates’ load, and in a way, so does this one. Pressure bursts pipes. By serving as a sounding board, you alleviate the pressure your teammates are feeling.
5. Be present when they are lonely. Sometimes people just need companionship. Striking up a conversation with someone who is feeling down can heal their soul. It doesn’t have to be a deep, probing conversation, either. The lighthearted ones are often the most meaningful.
6. Defend them when others gossip behind their backs. Loyalty is love and having the courage to stand up for someone when they aren’t present to stand up for themselves is definitive loyalty.
7. Celebrate their victories by bragging about them. Rejoice in your teammates’ success. Let others know how proud you are of what your teammates accomplished. The depth of your love is proportional to the outward expression of your joy.
8. Ask them their opinions/Solicit their advice. Asking a teammate what they think about an issue makes them feel valued. Remember to be an active listener when they’re speaking, otherwise your inquiry will seem phony.
9. Let something go that you might otherwise argue about. Good teammates walk a fine line between holding others accountable and remaining above the fray. Occasionally, put the relationship ahead of the disagreement by overlooking minor issues. Silently, agree to disagree.
10. Take a photo with them. With the prominence of selfies on social media, sharing the photo spotlight with a teammate shows you are proud to be seen with them. You let them—and others—know you wanted that moment to be forever captured.
Teams built on love have the greatest chance of experiencing sustained success. Why not choose to use this Valentine’s Day as an occasion to let your teammates know how much you love them?
As always…Good teammates care. Good teammates share. Good teammates listen. Go be a good teammate.
