When Gifts Say More
What's a gift mean? If you're like me, you probably focus on the giving and the getting.But, have you thought of gifts as a medium, a channel, for communication? In a book called The Gift, French anthropologist Marcel Mauss argues that gifts are universally used to create and manage relationships.For those of us interested in business communication, the idea of managing work relationships with gifts brings several interesting issues to our attention.The most obvious notion is that in sending gifts, we communicate our appreciation for what someone did. It signals awareness that the recipient did something exemplary. Usually, the communication is implicit, perhaps even subtle, even though the gift may be tangible.In a workplace context, bonuses are often seen as gifts, a discretionary act on the part of a manager to show appreciation. It is in the manager's power to reward or not reward, and hence the gifting effect.Stock options, on the other hand, represent something different; there is no managerial discretion in their value, but there may be discretion involved in giving them.And don't we all consider the type and value of a gift as an indicator of the strength of the relationship? I think we've all been through those debates about how much we should spend when a staff member gets married, has a baby, retires, or quits.In each of these examples, it's not hard to see gifts as a tool for strategically managing relationships. We can also see gifts as a medium (like a newsletter) for exchanging messages.What we've discussed so far assumes that a gift is an object or service that one purchases or makes and gives to another.
But, in an organizational context, a gift might be mentorship, an unexpected promotion, or acceptance of another person's opinion.Consider meetings where opinions fall into two clear camps. And, out of the blue, someone who previously opposed your position or stayed neutral now moves to support you. That person smiles at you, and says, "I think you've put your finger on the real issue here." Seems like a gift, doesn't it?Or consider this one, "Jane, you've worked a lot of hours lately to make this presentation a big success. We appreciate what you've done, and want you to take the rest of the week off. Don't worry about your to-do list; we'll take care of everything." Another type of gift.In the mass media, reporters and editors normally cannot accept gifts, or gifts beyond a threshhold value.
It's a way of avoiding relationship obligations that might influence their coverage of events, people, and organizations. In this case we see the rejection of gifts as a way of avoiding relationships.In summary, look at exchanges of gifts as potentially more than just an exchange between individuals; think of them as a strategic tools for developing and managing business relationships. That makes giving a strategic form of communication..
Robert F. Abbott writes and publishes Abbott's Communication Letter. Learn how you can use communication to help achieve your goals, by reading articles or subscribing to this ad-supported newsletter. An excellent resource for leaders and managers, at:http://www.communication-newsletter.comUnique and Diverse Corporate Gifts Attract Business Gift Buyers This Holiday Season
www.e-CorporateGifts.com, Inc. a Leading Provider of Corporate Gifts on the internet since 1999; reports that new product lines and diversity of gifts attracts a new breed of business gift buyers.The holiday buying patterns of the business shopper appear to be changing this year. Many companies do not want to make their holiday gifts an advertising medium, but more of a gesture of appreciation for current and future business. There is a downturn in companies not electing to imprint or engrave their company logo on their holiday gifts and just saying thank you with a well thought out unique gift and note. According to Terry Keating, Vice President, "The corporate gift shopper this year appears to be looking for more diverse and unique products to give to their employees, clients, and friends.
In addition, many are spending more on these gifts.
In the past several years leather portfolios debossed with a company...
Gifts > Unique and Diverse Corporate Gifts Attract Business Gift Buyers This Holiday Season
Personalized Gifts a Winner for Parents of Multiple Children
When Samuel and Theresa Wallace celebrated the arrival of their fourth child and third daughter, Virginia, friends and family members were at a loss for gift ideas.
The Wallace's already had everything needed for the nursery and enough hand-me-downs to clothe Virginia for years.
Theresa's cousin found a unique solution, a personalized gift set from Ava Claire Designs.????The Wallace's received a three-piece gift set including a bib, burp cloth and one-piece t-shirt embroidered with Virginia's name and a lamb design.
Theresa Wallace noted "It was so nice having something that I hadn't seen the other girls wearing, something that was Virginia's own."
Alison Lumbatis, owner of Ava Claire Designs, notes that "while a significant percentage of our personalized gifts are being bought for first-born children, we are receiving more and more feedback from customers that our personalized items are ideal shower gifts for parents expecting their second, third...
Gifts > Personalized Gifts a Winner for Parents of Multiple Children
Valentine?s Day Gifts Now Available from Niki Owl
Niki Owl? continues to expand its product range and now is happy to announce new items for Valentine's Day.History of Valentine's Day:The origin of Valentine's Day is still a mystery, with most research pointing to both Christian and ancient Roman traditions. The Catholic Church currently recognizes at least three different saints by the name of Valentine or Valentinus, all of whom were martyred.One legend holds that Valentine was a priest who served during the third century in Rome, and upon defiance of Emperor Claudius II (who outlawed marriage after deciding that single men made better soldiers than those who were married and had families), performed secret marriages for young lovers. When this was discovered, Claudius ordered that Valentine be put to death.According to another legend, Valentine sent the first 'valentine' greeting himself, to a young woman that visited him in jail during his confinement. Before his death, it is believed that he wrote her a letter, which he signed...
Valentine?s Day Gifts Now Available from Niki Owl
Gifts > Valentine?s Day Gifts Now Available from Niki Owl
Valentines Day Gifts
Gifts constitute the nitty-gritty of Valentine's Day. Traditionally speaking, gift giving on Valentine's Day was a symbolic gesture and a token of love and appreciation for the special people in one's life. During earlier times, gifts were especially exchanged between lovers. However, with the passage of time, gifts for Valentine's Day have acquired commercial significance.
Nowadays, exclusive packaging classifies gifts for the day into numerous categories.
There are special Valentines Day gifts for him as well as Valentine's Day gifts for her. Gifts for Valentine's Day also include creative and personalized gifts. The traditional gifts are often renamed as gifts of the sentimental and classic section.
A great romantic gift between Valentine's Day couples could be a photo album with a series of romantic photos of togetherness. Gifts for a girlfriend or a spouse could feature a red rose preserved in gold. Whether gold, silver, or diamonds, rings are a...
Gifts > Valentines Day Gifts
Short-term insurance ? Key to stress-free & healthy life
Health insurance has become a necessity as our life is becoming more open to health related problems with increased pollution levels, increased rate of accidents and injuries. It gives you financial cover to bear our medical expenses with ease. One such affordable form of health insurance is a short term insurance.
Short term health insurancehas become popular in the recent years as it provides you...
Gifts > Short-term insurance ? Key to stress-free & healthy life
Visionary Deploys ADSL2+ Broadband
Gillette, WY (ContentDesk) January 20th, 2005 -- Visionary Communications has deployed ADSL2+ in Gillette Wyoming, bringing a faster broadband service to the rural town. ADSL2+ is a Digital Subscriber Line technology that delivers internet service over a telephone line at a speed three times that of the fastest competing broadband.Visionary is calling the new DSL product Intense DSL, with good reason. ADSL2+ allows the company to deliver up to 25Mbps of internet bandwidth to customers within...
Gifts dsl
Gifts > Visionary Deploys ADSL2+ Broadband
Hypnotize the Pounds Away: Weight Loss Motivation Through Hypnosis
Many individuals these days, male or female, young or old, are struggling with weight management. Concerns with rising cases obesity are no longer based upon a Hollywood conception of what is the appropriate body size. Instead of doctors wanting their patients to be "thinner", they want them to be healthier. The patients, however, are not necessarily discerning the difference.What Has This Lead To?Both women and men alike are becoming hooked on yo-yo diets. What is a yo-yo diet? Yo-yo dieting...
Gifts
Gifts > Hypnotize the Pounds Away: Weight Loss Motivation Through Hypnosis