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Lead with Thanks
Welcome to Lead with Thanks, the bite-sized interview series where Thankbox Co-Founder Tsvetelina Hinova chats to leaders who put gratitude at the heart of how they lead.
They share stories of their most memorable moments of appreciation, as well as highly practical tools and methods that have worked well throughout their careers.
Ready to lead with thanks? Let's get going!
Lead with Thanks
Episode 2: Surprise recognition & converting appreciation cynics with Dawn Smedley
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In this episode, Tsvetelina had the absolute pleasure of chatting to Dawn Smedley from WorkBuzz and host of The Culture Whisperer Podcast.
A former “Appreciatologist” Dawn has spent 16 years in culture and employee engagement, championing the small things that make the biggest difference.
Dawn is passionate about helping organisations move beyond surveys to truly listen, understand, and act on what matters most to their people.
Some of the highlights of the conversation with Dawn include:
- An emotional story of her 5-year work anniversary where her company got her family involved to share stories and recognise her effort and impact
- A practical framework for sharing appreciation in a way that feels genuine and is connected to organisational values
- Why appreciation is a strategic driver for the things you want to see more of within the organisation
- How to empathise with and convert the appreciation cynics within your organisation
This conversation is absolutely packed full of practical advice and heartfelt stories that are a goldmine for anyone working looking to create a more connected workplace.
You should also check out Dawn’s brilliant podcast The Culture Whisperer, just search on any major podcasting platform.