The Apprecia-spin: Hard to say, fun to play!
The Apprecia-spin (pronounced like “Appreciation” but with “spin” at the end) is a lively Data.xd team ritual that I developed, prototyped, and then implemented monthly as a way to weave recognition and appreciation into our team’s day-to-day culture.
The spin was easy to submit to, weird enough to join, and a quick, energized ten-minute Zoom call once a month. Anytime throughout the month, folks could use a simple, one-sentence form to submit the team members they appreciate—and why—to a virtual wheel. Once a month, I would host a mini game show and spin the wheel a few times, whoever it landed on would get to choose from a pool of… “intriguing” prizes. (Or, a “secret recipe” (the real secret is that you don’t want any new clutter mailed to your house). After the spin, all the submissions are posted in Slack and warm feelings spread far and wide.
About
There are a lot of things to consider in exploring recognition programs on a team; extroversion/introversion, proximity bias, how people want to be recognized, Zoom fatigue, etc. The Apprecia-spin isn’t an attempt to design the complete and fully-considered approach to recognition on Data.xd in one endeavor, but an optional experiment that builds on bits of our blossoming team culture, and something I hope will bring a short burst of joy and connection to our virtual work world.
How it works
The Submission Process:
Use this link to appreciate someone on the Data.xd team. To enter, simply fill in the blanks of this sentence: “I want to appreciate [this person] for [this thing they did],” and their name will be entered onto a virtual wheel. (They won’t be notified until after the spin). Do this as many times and for as many people on Data.xd as you want.
The Spin:
We’ll gather on a short, optional Zoom call to spin the wheel a few times, and whoever it lands on will get to choose from a pool of bizarre but compelling prizes.
FAQ
Do I have to do this?
Nope! There are dozens and dozens of people on this team and everyone has different situations and needs in the midst of this new remote environment; I’ve heard from people craving connection asking for more frequent team activities, as well as from people craving meeting-free heads down time, asking to nix any activities or meetings that aren’t absolutely necessary. I’m hoping to set this up so you can either participate or not—based on however you’re feeling—without pressure.
What kinds of things should we recognize people for in the spin?
We’re happily leaving this open; could be big or small things, invisible work behind the scenes, a way someone has made your sub-team a team you want to be on, stepping up, being flexible, building morale… whatever you’ve appreciated or want to recognize someone for.
How many times can I submit per spin?
Ooo, someone’s hungry to appreciate people! Submit as many times and for as many people (on the Data.xd team) as you want. The wedges on the wheel will just get really small but that’s fine; I’ve got great vision.
Weren’t you supposed to get glasses last year though? I remember you asking a LOT of questions about how FSAs work.
Wow, yeah, thanks for asking. I went to six or seven glasses stores in January and February but every pair I tried on were too big for my apparently miniature face. With shelter-in-place and social distancing, I haven’t tried on any more options, but my prescription was comically subtle, and I should still be able to see tiny wheel wedges.
Will my submission be public?
Yes, whatever you post on the submission form will be on the wheel, and a list of all the submissions will be posted in the Data.xd Slack channel after the spin. You can appreciate someone anonymously if you’d prefer, though.
What if I'm already recognizing people within my team in my own way?
Please keep doing that! This isn't meant to replace anything, just to add another option at the Data.xd layer if it feels right.
Are you trying to take our focus away from spot awards?
Nope! Huge fan of spot awards; this is just an additional way to show appreciation.
What if the person I want to appreciate probably wouldn’t love being potentially tossed into the spotlight to choose from a group of...what did you call them? “Intriguing” prizes?
Way to consider how someone might want to be recognized! The spin is just one new way to show appreciation; if it inspires you to think of someone you want to recognize, and you think they might not like this, please feel free to recognize or appreciate them in a way that feels more fitting.And if you’re a person who’d rather not be included on the wheel for whatever reason, DM me and I’ll make a note : ) I feel very passionate about not putting people on the spot, if the spot is not a place they want to be.
What if I can’t make the Spin Call?
This is a big team and spin conflicts are bound to happen. We will be mixing up the days and times we schedule each spin (usually once a month), so if you have a conflict for this one, hopefully you can make the next.
What happens if the spin lands on someone who isn’t on the Spin Call?
For every spin that lands on an “Ab-spin-tee”, $10 will be added from Data.xd to a pool of money, and at the end of the year, we’ll decide as a team where to donate it.
Prize Museum (Abridged)
