A couple of years ago, they started the “360 feedback” process at work.  I’m a fan of it if people use it correctly, but I don’t want to wait until the end of the year to get zapped for something I might have done so long ago, and can’t remember anything about it.  Good or bad, tell me now, let’s not wait and word-craft.

This year, they decided to scrap that plan and do “necessary notes”.  Write a note, good or constructively opportunistic, to the people you work with.  I like that plan.  It still takes a lot of time, but it accomplishes the same things, without the anonymous jabs.

I decided to do this, but do it differently by using repurposed books and objects.  The books contained the notes and each had a bookmark made from string, my recycled info cards and random objects found in my garage.

I thought about making a trashogram from the bookmarks, as most of these items are things I’ve found, gotten for free or found at the thrift store. 

I added my own notes on the inside of the books.  Some books were ones that the recipients would like to read and others were just funny titles that made me think of them.  It was a little funny watching Paul, one of our pastors, walking around with Chippy the Chipmunk’s Vacation.  Paul is always carrying books that he’s reading for message preparation, and a few people even asked him about it.

I haven’t run into anyone yet that has been offended by my used book gifts.  I have some other book ideas to share soon.  :)