This Transmission Is For You

On The Importance of Recognition

“Celebrate what you want to see more of.” ~ Tom Peters

Thomas Edison and Henry Ford. Getty Images.

Did you know that Henry Ford once worked for Thomas Edison? That’s kind of a light bulb moment, eh? 😁

Back in 1891, Henry’s first engineering job was with the Edison Electric Illuminating Company in Detroit, Michigan. 💡

Since 1885 he had been tinkering around with his idea for a gas powered machine. By 1892 he had cobbled together a car that could go up to 20 mph on 28 inch bicycle tires.

Most people tried to throttle his idea until in 1896 Ford attended an executive meeting where he had the opportunity to meet Thomas Edison and show him his automobile designs. Edison loved them, banging his fist on the table and saying,

“Young man, that’s the thing; you have it. Keep at it. Electric cars must keep near to power stations. The storage battery is too heavy. Steam cars won’t do, either, for they require a boiler and fire. Your car is self-contained—carries its own power plant—no fire, no boiler, no smoke and no steam. You have the thing. Keep at it.”

Apparently Elon Musk never read this…

Anyway… Ford later wrote:

“That bang on the table was worth worlds to me. No man up to then had given me any encouragement. I had hoped that I was headed right, sometimes I knew that I was, sometimes I only wondered if I was, but here all at once and out of a clear sky the greatest inventive genius in the world had given me a complete approval. The man who knew most about electricity in the world had said that for the purpose my gas motor was better than any electric motor could be.”

By 1899 Ford had shifted gears and resigned from Edison Electric in order to put his foot on the gas for his first automotive business. The rest is history… which might not have happened if it weren’t for the encouragement and recognition given by Thomas Edison.

Tidbit: In the clutch could you come up with how the Model T got its name?

Henry Ford sits in his first automobile, the Quadricycle. He sold the first one in 1896 for $200.

Shifting Gears a little…because this post really has nothing to do with cars…and everything to do with Recognition…

Research shows that recognition at work motivates employees, increases job satisfaction and improves performance. It lowers turnover and can help companies attract great people.

Recognition is just as important at home. By recognizing children for their good behaviors, parents are reinforcing those behaviors and creating an environment for better mental health. As a parent you are telling your children that they matter. Positive recognition helps all of us feel supported and inspired.

Recognition pays off for the ‘giver’ as well. When you recognize others you are building a ‘relationship bank account’ with them, creating a stronger and more positive connection. ‘Relationship bank accounts’ are important at work, with friends, family, and even with strangers.

Missed opportunities

Even though most of us realize the importance of recognition, it’s still easy to get caught up in our own day and forget to either notice or take the time to recognize others. Who hasn’t thought, “Oh, I should have told them what a good job they did.”🙋‍♀️

How to build your relationship bank account

If you’d like to increase your ‘Relationship Bank Account’ it’s easy. Start by choosing someone today that you’d like to recognize for a good behavior. Maybe it’s someone at work. Maybe it’s one of your children, a partner, a friend, a service provider.

Tell them specifically what you are recognizing them for and why it’s important to you. Then watch their face light up and feel the burst of energy that you receive because you recognized them.

Recognizing others is an important step in building relationships, giving us a sense of purpose and creating happiness. It’s all part of a value-based lifestyle.

I hope you’ll never tire of or put the brakes on giving recognition. You can be the engine for good when you put your foot on the accelerator and recognize those around you. I know you have the horsepower. And after all, this is where the rubber meets the road.

Thanks for reading. We appreciate you being here. 😊

See you next week.

Heather and Bill

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COMMENTS:

1. Tidbit Answer: Between 1903 and 1908, Henry Ford’s team tried a lot of different prototypes. Finally, after 20 different versions they had what they wanted. Because the letter ‘T’ is the 20th in the alphabet, Ford decided to name his new car the Model T.

2. This post is a tank full of automotive terms. Have fun steering the comments with a few of your own!

3. Have you experienced some recognition lately? Please share!

   

PS: A tip from an early Ford Model T Instruction Manual- Always strain (gasoline) through a chamois skin to prevent water and other foreign matters getting into the carburetor. 🤣

PPS: What snakes are found on cars?…..Answer: Windshield Vipers. 🐍😁 Sorry, this was a holdover from last week’s post. I couldn’t resist.