Over 1,000 POWs were held in a North Korean camp during the Korean War. This camp was not surrounded by the typical barbed wire, armed guards or dangerous fences. The POWs also experienced less violence than most other prison camps. Interestingly, this camp did not have any POW attempt to escape and also had the highest death rate in the history of the United States.
The soldiers in this camp had every shred of hope withheld from them. Any positive correspondence from their family at home was never delivered, while any letter mentioning a death, divorce or overdue bill was promptly delivered. The soldiers were encouraged to tattle on one another. When a soldier did so, he was rewarded, but the one whom had been tattled on was never punished. This created rifts between the men. So much hope was drained from these men, that they would leave their each other outside in the elements to die because it “wasn’t my job” to do anything about it.
Today, you have the power and opportunity to provide hope, caring and support to those around you. Talk to those around you and find out how they like to be recognized, whether in public or private. Find out what their preferred means are of receiving the praise. Some people prefer a quiet thank you and recognition, while others will appreciate a handwritten note. Look for opportunities to showcase the best of one of your coworkers or employees today. Won’t you try it for a week, then come back and post the impact on Friday? If you need help in gathering some details, take a look at these resources. I’d love to see the stories.
photo by Franco Folini