“I felt like I was dying,” a friend said, as he discussed his transition to a new employer. The final days in his former position brought surprises. “People I hadn’t talked to in a long time stopped by my desk and said things – nice things – I’d never considered they would think. And my boss was heaping praise on me. I hadn’t dreamed he felt that way about my efforts. Where were all these people and nice words when I had the position?”

It’s crazy: We live in a society where we wait until someone leaves their job…before offering them praise and telling them how much they mean to us. (It’s a bit like a funeral.) We build up their confidence, their esteem…and then we say good-bye.

An old adage that states “you are always interviewing for your job.” This is true; and so is the counter: You are always recruiting your top talent.

People want to know they matter. We all want to know we’re making a difference. (Gallup research shows one of the top reasons a person becomes engaged in their work is because they know how their efforts affect the ultimate purpose of the organization.)

Who is on your team that, if they were to depart, you’d be devastated and disappointed by their absence?

Try this: Beat the holiday rush this year. Instead of waiting to toast someone with a glass of wine, raise your coffee cup and salute the efforts of the person who deserves to know they’re making an important difference.