My favorite boss (now lifelong friend) insisted on giving her entire team the day off on their birthday. It was a simple manager’s discretion day that barely impacted her budget, but the morale boost enjoyed by the team was almost palpable, leading to happier and more productive people.

My birthday is this week, and I’m reminded that a small investment in people yields big returns:

• “Businesses must invest in…people in order to create new wealth.” – John Hoeven
• “The best minute you spend is the one you invest in people.” – Ken Blanchard
• “I am worried about our tendency to over invest in things and under invest in people.”- John Kenneth Galbraith
• “Invest in the human family. Invest in people. Build a little community of those you love and who love you.” – Mitch Albom, Tuesdays with Morrie
• “Let’s invest in people, not things…if a cheap pencil will do as well as MS Word in today’s schools, then our money, time and effort has been going to the wrong people. Maybe, it’s time to invest in children, teachers, administrators, and parents…instead of Microsoft, Apple, and other proprietary software vendors.” – Miguel Guhlin, Director of Instructional Technology

How can you make an investment today in the people around you?