--- title: "Daily Buzz: Express Gratitude for Your Team" id: "46563" type: "post" slug: "daily-buzz-express-gratitude-for-your-team" published_at: "2019-05-07T21:49:33+00:00" modified_at: "2026-03-17T01:14:25+00:00" url: "https://associationsnow.com/2019/05/07/daily-buzz-express-gratitude-for-your-team/" markdown_url: "https://associationsnow.com/2019/05/07/daily-buzz-express-gratitude-for-your-team.md" excerpt: "Recognizing employees not only expresses appreciation but also helps build a productive and positive culture. Also: how social proof shows the value of your organization to potential members." taxonomy_category: - "Marketing / Communications" taxonomy_post_tag: - "Aspiring Leader" - "AssociationsNow" - "employee recognition" - "Leadership" - "Mid-Level Professional" - "social proof" - "team building" taxonomy_content_format: - "Article" taxonomy_role: - "Director" - "Manager" - "VP" taxonomy_persona: - "Association Professionals" --- [Home](https://associationsnow.com/) » [Articles](https://associationsnow.com/format/article/) » Daily Buzz: Express Gratitude for Your Team On the NBC sitcom *Parks and Recreation*, star Amy Poehler started a tradition of gratitude. After a day of wrapping on location, the cast and crew would enjoy a team dinner, where Poehler would stand up and toast a member of the team, who would then toast another person, who would then toast another—and the cycle continued until everyone had been toasted. Now, it might not be possible to express thanks or give kudos to every member of your team every day. But adopting some version of Poehler’s tradition does have productivity and culture perks. “First, positive reinforcement and praise are absolutely vital in the workplace,” [says Sarah Todd on Quartz at Work (opens in a new tab)](https://qz.com/work/1611594/amy-poehler-had-a-tradition-on-parks-rec-that-every-leader-should-try/) . “On a basic level, people feel good when they get recognized for their contributions, and that’s naturally going to boost employee morale and motivation.” Todd also points out that constructive praise hones in on the specifics of what people do well at their jobs, which can then encourage more of that behavior. But remember: Recognition isn’t only about star players—it’s about the team as a whole. “A round-robin toast after wrapping up a big project is one way for leaders to demonstrate they understand that every person involved contributed something of value and deserves recognition for it,” she says. ### Creating Social Proof > Considering that about 1/3 of all time spent online is dedicated to [#socialmedia (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/hashtag/socialmedia?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > , it’s easy to see the power of social proof: [https://t.co/l1QdNBlnUA (opens in a new tab)](https://t.co/l1QdNBlnUA) > [pic.twitter.com/Gz8XrmzaPR (opens in a new tab)](https://t.co/Gz8XrmzaPR) > > — Jay Baer (@jaybaer) [May 6, 2019 (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/jaybaer/status/1125430720934088709?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) Before buying a new product or service, many consumers read customer reviews. Membership to your organization is no exception. “Consumers have come to trust the opinions of their peers or other online experts far more than brands—and nearly as much as their friends,” [Paul Johnson writes on Convince & Convert (opens in a new tab)](https://www.convinceandconvert.com/content-marketing/using-your-content-to-build-social-proof/) . What does that mean for your association? You need social proof: testimonials, images, or other forms of user-generated content that show the value your organization brings to current members. To build social proof, start by creating incentives for members to share their experiences—stories and examples that you can then pass on to potential members. “Social proof might not be a new concept, but utilizing it to your brand’s advantage can be an incredible opportunity,” Johnson says. “Let your brand’s biggest fans do what they do best: advocate.” ### Other Links of Note **Remote teams work** when they have the right support in place to collaborate and meet goals. Blue Avocado explains [how to create an efficient remote work culture (opens in a new tab)](https://blueavocado.org/community-and-culture/remote-team-environments-a-how-to-primer/) . **How long should blog posts be?** The HubSpot blog says [that a microblogging-style approach (opens in a new tab)](https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/micro-blogging) , along the lines of Twitter or Tumblr, is what your audience is looking for. **New feature alert:** Twitter retweets can now include photos, videos, and GIFs. And though it’s a small change for users, [it was a complicated one for Twitter (opens in a new tab)](https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/333408) , says *Entrepreneur*. Sometimes, you just have to offer up a toast. (Ales/E+/Getty Images Plus) [Jeff Hsin](https://associationsnow.com/author/jeff-hsin/) [More articles by this author](https://associationsnow.com/author/jeff-hsin/) Tags: [#Aspiring Leader](https://associationsnow.com/tag/aspiring-leader/) [#employee recognition](https://associationsnow.com/tag/employee-recognition/) [#Leadership](https://associationsnow.com/tag/leadership/) [#Mid-Level Professional](https://associationsnow.com/tag/mid-level-professional/) [#social proof](https://associationsnow.com/tag/social-proof/) [#team building](https://associationsnow.com/tag/team-building/) **Stay Informed** [Subscribe to our free newsletter](https://associationsnow.com/newsletter/) , *Associations Now Daily News*, to find out what’s happening in the association world every business day. ## You Might Like - [VideoThe Adaptive Leader: Integrating Values and Strategy to Thrive Under New LeadershipDecember 15, 2025](https://associationsnow.com/2025/12/15/the-adaptive-leader-integrating-values-and-strategy-to-thrive-under-new-leadership/) - [VideoTerin Bates, MBA, CAE, CX-PRO, Shares Her Experience at the 2026 ASAE Annual Meeting & ExpositionAugust 18, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/08/18/terin-bates-mba-cae-cx-pro-shares-her-experience-at-the-2026-asae-annual-meeting-exposition/) - [VideoASAE’s The ExchangeApril 24, 2025](https://associationsnow.com/2025/04/24/asaes-the-exchange/) - [VideoSpeaking of Great Ideas…March 29, 2012](https://associationsnow.com/2012/03/29/speaking-of-great-ideas/) ## Comments **Comments are for ASAE members.** [Learn more about comments on this site.](https://associationsnow.com/comments/) [Log in](https://associationsnow.com/login?redirect_to=https%3A%2F%2Fassociationsnow.com%2F2019%2F05%2F07%2Fdaily-buzz-express-gratitude-for-your-team%2F%23comments) to your member account or [join ASAE](https://my.asaecenter.org/select-a-membership-type/) !