We all like receiving recognition for a job well done, but how often to we make a point to give recognition? Every morning, during our daily meeting, my manager and colleagues give 'shoutouts' to employees that went above and beyond. It's always nice to receive a 'shoutout' for making a positive difference in someone's day.

In my opinion, time is the single biggest obstacle preventing people from giving recognition. It is easy to make a Facebook or LinkedIn post about a local restaurant providing impeccable service, but will they ever see it? I recently went to a local burrito restaurant. The server was unsure if he had brought out my steak, so he brought out an extra serving for me. I thanked him for the extra steak and made a Facebook status about it. Since I wasn't able to 'tag' the restaurant, I doubt he will ever see it.

On a more serious note, I recently had to call my insurance company about something. The call center associate I spoke with extremely helpful. With my permission, she was able to make several calls on my behalf and within a few days, had the problem resolved. I thanked her for her diligence and follow up. Unfortunately, I never received a survey to give her the credit she deserves. I plan to write a letter or send an email to the company to make sure my call center associate gets a 'shoutout' for all of her hard work.

I recently was on the market for a new phone. The sales associate carefully listened to my requests and brought me out two different phones. They were very similar, but I ended up picking the one with larger memory capacity. After the data transfer was complete, the sales associate walked me to my car. I thanked her for all of the assistance she provided me and asked if I would receive a survey to fill out on her behalf. She assured me that I would have one emailed to me. Shortly after that, I got an email and a text from my service provider. I immediately responded to make sure my helpful sales associate received recognition for a job well done.