I missed this last month, but Ed Vielmetti caught it and sent it to me via del.icio.us.

The Office: The Thought That Counts

"What you'd be getting if our columnist were your Secret Santa?

Most gift ideas for executives strike me as pretty unoriginal: How many monogrammed, leather-covered, USB-enabled goodies can one person shove into a supply cabinet? Still, I am not wholly unmoved by the conventions of the season. So here are the presents I would, if I could, give to every reader....

A librarian. Yes, I know, much of what you need is available online and your staff Googles with the best of them. Still, corporate librarians operate with a level of nuance and finesse that technology can't match. They can uncover sources so obscure as to be practically nonexistent. And they know what's what--they not only tell people what is known but also warn them what isn't." [Inc.com]

"At least one employee under 25 and one employee over 60 who are equally enthusiastic about their jobs and visibly thrilled to be there each day. Just watching them reminds everyone how meaningful work can be with the right attitude."