#inclusion
Inclusion matters.

Sometime back I was playing the role of integration partner. I went above and beyond to make sure all partners sail smoothly. Then I moved on to another role. I was contacted by another team who thought I was playing the same role. I couldn't help them much, but I did have a couple of meetings with them. The manager of the team appreciated my help in an office public channel. I did not know I was craving/missing that. It felt like I was part of their success journey. I felt included, connected, and appreciated in front of others.

Then it hit me hard that no other partner appreciated me publicly or when they went live, they didn't mention me.

I realized that many of us do not give a second thought to people who help us in any way. We Slack people, We ask for Zooms, and their efforts just stay with us. Many don't even say thanks.

We need to respect others' time, efforts and recognize it for all to see. These are basic things people are looking for. Don't be scared that people will judge you for having help. Help could be seen as collaboration. However we present it, we need to acknowledge others' contributions. And don't be just a "User"; giving back brings a lot more sooner or later.

Having a public platform for appreciation is not sufficient to build a culture if it is not getting used by all. Because "no one is an island", we all had help.

We can forget the appreciation note but we do remember how someone made us feel. Next time, the same people will be at your side and that's a way for a community to thrive and stay strong.

Let's create good memories.

#culture #people #help #thankyou #work #respect