Here’s an excerpt from my book, ‘O Great One!, a little story about the awesome power of recognition,’ that speaks to the importance of noticing those around you. Excerpted from O GREAT ONE: A Little Story About the Awesome Power of Recognition, by David Novak, published by Portfolio / Penguin.

1. 27
Chapter 5
For the next two hours, Jeff stood up on his platform and
fielded questions and complaints of all kinds.
The office manager, Carmen, wanted to know why
they didn’t have family picnics anymore. For years the
company had sponsored an annual picnic that everyone
attended along with their families. “We don’t do anything
fun like that anymore,” she told him. “Nothing to make
us feel like we’re connected and part of a team.”
Julie, one of the engineers from the group that pro-
duced Crazy Paste, wanted to know if they were ever going
to make anything new and different. “It’s not that I don’t
love Crazy Paste,” she said. “It’s just that we’ve sent out
proposal after proposal about ways to extend the product
line with new products we could make right here using the
equipment we already have.”
“And what’s been the response?” Jeff asked. He hadn’t
heard about any new proposals.
01
02
03
04
05
06
07
08
09
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
S25
N26
9780399562068_OGreatOne_i-xiv_i-226.indd 27 5/27/16 3:25 PM

2. David Novak
28
“That’s just it,” Julie replied. “There hasn’t been a re­
sponse. It’s like sending ideas into a black hole. They just
disappear like they never even existed in the first place.
Sometimes I think that Chicago has forgotten all about us.”
Jeff was alarmed by how many people in the crowd
seemed to agree with that sentiment. More hands shot up
from people wanting to discuss everything from overtime
pay to sprucing up the facility to overhauling processes in
one department after another. Employees from the front
office blamed the production group when questions were
raised about how long it took to get product out the door.
Production, in turn, pointed the finger at the people in
operations, who were in charge of packing and shipping.
Operations then started criticizing the front office again.
Jeff was starting to think the conversation was focusing
too much on the negatives. To change things up a bit, he
asked what he thought was a pretty straightforward ques-
tion about something they did well.
“This plant has a great track record when it comes to
creating merchandising displays to showcase our prod-
ucts for our retail customers. What do you think about our
efforts today?”
Right away, someone spoke up, “Bob is the expert in
that area. He can tell you how it’s done.”
Someone else added, “Bob taught me more about mer-
01
02
03
04
05
06
07
08
09
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25S
26N
9780399562068_OGreatOne_i-xiv_i-226.indd 28 5/27/16 3:25 PM

3. O Great One!
29
chandising in one day than I’d learned in two years on
the job.”
“Yup, he’s the one who always comes up with the most
innovative new ideas,” yet another voice added. “And he
knows how to see those ideas through to make sure they’re
done right.”
“Bob’s the best there is. Everyone here knows that.”
Heads started nodding in agreement around the room.
Jeff was amazed. It appeared everyone in the room actually
agreed on something. When it came to merchandising,
they all believed that Bob was a star.
“So,” Jeff said smiling, pleased to have finally stum-
bled upon something positive to talk about, “which one
of you is this infamous Bob?”
Several people pointed toward a man in his sixties, sit-
ting in a chair off to the left. Jeff looked over at Bob, think-
ing he must be thrilled by all this praise, but when he saw
Bob, his smile disappeared.
Bob was slumped down in his chair, staring at his
hands. When Jeff looked closer, he could see tears running
down Bob’s face. And they didn’t appear to be tears of joy
either. In fact, Bob looked downright dismayed.
“Bob,” Jeff said carefully, “there are so many people
here heaping praise on you, but you’re clearly upset. What’s
wrong?”
01
02
03
04
05
06
07
08
09
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
S25
N26
9780399562068_OGreatOne_i-xiv_i-226.indd 29 5/27/16 3:25 PM

4. David Novak
30
Bob took a deep breath before he looked up and met
Jeff’s gaze. Then he spoke so quietly that Jeff had to strain
to hear him.
“I’ve been with this company for ­forty-​­seven years and
I’m going to be retiring in two weeks,” Bob told him. “In
all that time, I never knew anyone felt this way about me.”
Jeff was stunned. All the momentum that had been
building in the room suddenly fell flat as everyone stared
at Bob. Jeff gathered himself together and walked over to
him. He bent down and put his arm around Bob’s shoul-
der before saying quietly to him, “Bob, everyone here
obviously thinks the world of you. I’m sorry no one has
said it to you before, but I think you should be really, really
proud.”
01
02
03
04
05
06
07
08
09
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25S
26N
9780399562068_OGreatOne_i-xiv_i-226.indd 30 5/27/16 3:25 PM