Last week, I learned about a noble venture at a presentation made by a non-profit organization to a business networking work group I belong to.

Alleluia Baskets started in 2004 with a small gesture of 25 Easter baskets that were given to children of families in need. That spark has led to a blazing enterprise. This year, they gave out 17,365 baskets, and in 2026, they will be giving out more than 20,000 baskets to children, teens, senior citizens and veterans throughout the St. Louis area.

What made the presentation so remarkable was not just the special cause the organization serves, but also how the founder and leader of the organization, Karen Mesler, spoke to the importance of how she engages her team of – get this – 700 volunteers.

What she said goes to the heart of what makes engaging employees in systematic continuous improvement so powerful.

She shared that one of the most gratifying aspects of her leadership is how often she hears her volunteers say that they feel valued by her. And it’s no accident. Karen is very deliberate in doing things to foster that feeling:

• She makes sure the task is a good fit for the person. She doesn’t just assign people to chores that need to be done. She listens, she watches, and she talks with her volunteers about what they like doing best.

• She shows her appreciation profusely, saying “thank you” when volunteers walk in, when they walk out and many times in between – even texting her gratitude at night.

• She pays attention to people who want to take more control, and she encourages their initiative to the point where she can leave and know that operations will run smoothly without her there.

Smart organizations do the same kinds of things in the workplace, making people feel heard and valued, inspired and supported to do their best work and be their best selves.

Brilliant organizations take it a step further. They tap into the innate desire for employees to go above and beyond their “job box” with routine processes for engaging people in systematic continuous improvement (SCI).

If you’d like to learn how inspire and equip your team to go above and beyond, click on the link below.

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