A list you want to be on.
How V Teamer Sue Schnaars creates a culture of kindness, one recommendation at a time.
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Meet Sue Schnaars, an account manager in the Tech Ambassadors office who’s been with Verizon for almost 16 years. Throughout August, our PACT ERG is stressing the importance of “acts of kindness” and Sue is an expert at those.
In 2019, Sue began a heartfelt project that has grown into a 15-page tribute to over 30 colleagues who’ve made a difference in her career. It all started with a Google doc titled “Clay’s Recommendation,” named after one of her colleagues at work, whose work she wanted to highlight through a recommendation letter. “It’s important for me to actually speak from the heart when I write these,” Sue says, reflecting on her genuine approach to crafting each letter.
Sue’s personalized recommendations, at times included in mid-year and year-end reviews, provide a pleasant surprise for her peers and offer a fresh perspective on their achievements. “Leadership would include that in the document, and it was sort of a surprise,” she notes. Sue says the whole point of these letters is to help her fellow V Teamers feel seen and appreciated, noting that a little positive feedback can make a big impact.
Believing in the power of appreciation, Sue encourages everyone to embrace simple gestures like a thoughtful Slack message or note. “I think there needs to be more kindness in the world,” she explains, emphasizing that these actions can truly boost morale and build a supportive work environment.
Sue hopes her story will encourage all V Teamers to start their own “Clay’s Recommendation” list, “It's one of the lists you actually want to be on.”
