What important lesson did this gift tag give me?

This Christmas tag that had all of about 3 seconds of my attention last Christmas had an incredible life cycle for something that was undeniably overlooked in the moment.

Someone took their vision, sold it to their boss, started to design the bauble, probably redesigned it, involved sales folk, took feedback, added glitter, changed the weight of the card, decided what colour and type of ribbon to use, fought their corner when somebody suggested the shape of a Christmas tree rather than a bauble would work better and this was most probably all done in the height of the summer in 2025.

Not to mention the kind soul who bought this to add to the gift they shared with me.

Altogether that is a LOT of THOUGHT and EFFORT. And here I am ready to throw this act of love on to the fire without a second thought. A complete lack of appreciation on my part.

So I’ve decided to keep the gift tag for the real lesson it gave me?

APPRECIATION. Appreciation especially for the story that lives behind our everyday interactions.

Here’s where it gets REALLY interesting

Emotional intelligence and appreciation are very closely linked and offer untold benefits when you enact these within your workplace.

The act of appreciating someone releases dopamine and oxytocin, the feel-good neurotransmitters associated with trust and social bonding. When I write and talk passionately about the use of EQ, it’s not simply a ‘feeling’. It’s a science.

Stuart Cheesman, European Strategist at OC Tanner (employee recognition software and custom awards company), writes, “Once considered a ‘soft skill’, emotional intelligence is now recognised by many organisations as vital. This shift boils down to bottom line results – organisations with emotionally smart leaders and employees aren’t just creating a more pleasant environment; they’re outperforming their competitors many times over.” 

In fact, OC Tanner’s 2025 Global Culture Report shows organisations that practice emotional intelligence are 107 times more likely to thrive.

Employees are:

• 8 times more likely to be emotionally intelligent when they give recognition often.

• 7 times more likely to have EQ when they regularly receive recognition from their leader.

• 9 times more likely to demonstrate emotional intelligence when the company has a culture of integrated recognition.  

When recognition is delivered well – with meaning and sincerity – and the recognition giver witnesses the impact their words and actions have on the recipient, this also nurtures the employee’s communication skills and subsequently their EQ.

Unmuted EQ Training can help you with both embedding the culture of EQ into your organisation, regardless of size or number of employees.

For leaders and those responsible for strategy, an Unmuted Retreat should be considered for 2026.

For those being cared for by your organisation, our unique ‘Your Story’ concept will strengthen the relationship and understanding between Carer and the person being cared for.

In the relentless melee of life, it is easy to become unappreciative, so get yourself a paper bauble, keep it close, be thankful and exemplify your gratitude. Everybody wins.