As I’ve mentioned in earlier posts, my son attends a school for children with learning challenges. Most of these kids are, let’s just say…not exactly “jocks.” So when they announced they’d be hosting a competitive running race, I didn’t expect a long line of volunteers.

But in typical Franklin Academy fashion, they encouraged both the sporty and not-so-sporty types to throw their names in the ring. Even if they’d never run a race before.

At the end of the race, the top three finishers received trophies.
BUT… not the kind you’d expect.

These trophies were repurposed from other sports, teams, and towns. Likely gathered from donation bins or thrift store shelves. One featured a gymnast frozen mid-flip. Another, a women’s cross-country runner, ponytail flying. There were even dance competition trophies.

Let’s be honest. They were someone else’s trash.

But here’s the best part: instead of complaints about the mismatched or “wrong” trophies, the winners laughed hysterically. They compared ballerinas and volleyball poses. They joked about who had the most random one.

But underneath all that laughter was something deeper. Pride. Joy. Belonging.
And, most importantly, the feeling of being seen.

For some of them, it was the first trophy they’d ever received.

We’re Overthinking Recognition

Recognition is essential to building teams that feel valued and purposeful. And while many workplaces are getting more tailored and sophisticated with their recognition programs, I wonder if we’ve over-engineered the whole thing.

We spend so much time trying to get it just right. Finding the budget to uplevel the recognition software. Or searching for that perfect gift.  That we forget to, well.. just do it.

THE VALUE OF BEING SEEN

People are showing up. They’re putting in quiet effort. And often , they’re helping others across THEIR finish lines. But they don’t always need a bonus or a gift. They just need to know someone noticed.

“I see what you did. And I want you to know it impacted me.”

At a time when burnout is rising, retention is dropping, and people are questioning their purpose, recognition might just be the simplest, most overlooked solution we have. You don’t need a trophy catalog, or a big budget. You just need to see people.

At work, in school, and everywhere in between, being seen is one of our most basic human needs. Feeling valued and connected is a huge driver of workplace well-being, especially for the youngest generation of workers. But recognition doesn’t require pomp and circumstance. It just needs to be sincere, and it just needs to happen.

Because no one forgets that moment they were truly seen.
Not even the young man who proudly displays his road race trophy, topped with a sparkling ballerina.