THE POWER OF THANK YOU

I was raised to always say thank you. I say it when a clerk in a store hands me back my change. I say it when the waiter in a restaurant comes around and fills up my glass of water. I say it when someone opens a door for me. I say it when a member of my staff has brought me a report, or an admin has managed to arrange travel or an appointment.

And I also say it in email, when someone sends me an update, or arranges a meeting. I thank those that have put on events where I was either an attendee or a participant. I would say that "Thanks", "Thank you" or "I appreciate what you did" are probably the singular most used words/phrases in my daily life.

In this "hurry-up and get 'er done" type world it is easy to forget to say or show appreciation, even though it is easy to do.  It doesn't matter if something is someone's job, like the waiter filling my glass, or the admin arranging a meeting. Appreciation is powerful and never unwelcome, as long as it is sincere. For me it is never rote. It is not something I was trained to do like some Pavlovian dog. As I noted I was raised to appreciate even the smallest things, to not take anything or anyone for granted, and whether those to whom I say it notice it or not, I know that somehow they are aware that I didn't just naturally expect them to do something and that their efforts were noticed.

In the past I have come across a few mail etiquette rules that suggest sending an email back with  just 'thanks' is no better than spam. 

I find that a bit cynical and certainly, from my perspective, doesn't show any understanding about what nurtures the human spirit. Showing appreciation and being grateful are two of the cornerstones of not only being a better human being but also of being a great leader.

So today I thank you for reading my blog. I know there are hundreds of thousands of other things you could be doing and reading right now, so I truly appreciate you taking this time today, and every time you visit this site!

Have an amazing day and remember to say Thank You!