The Power of Thank You

Fall is traditionally a time of year where our minds turn to what we are thankful for and in Canada and the United States this gets played out in October and November with Thanksgiving. A recent conversation inspired me to think about how important it is to thank people on a regular basis and reminded me how wonderful it feels to be thanked for what you do daily.

I was talking to a friend who had just spent many early mornings and late nights developing a program for her principal to deliver at a very important meeting. The work she did to help prepare him resulted in a flawlessly executed session and contributed to his success. He was grateful for her extreme diligence in her preparation and sent her an incredibly sincere and thoughtful thank you note, recognizing the work she put in and how positively it had impacted him.

Those two little words – Thank You – can do so much; yet they are not said often enough. My company culture, I am happy to say, is an exception. We regularly take the time to thank one another for efforts both large and small. This sort of acknowledgement has a different impact than end of year bonuses and raises during the year, and in my opinion, does more to drive a culture that recognizes the efforts we each put in on a daily basis and fosters employee engagement.

The majority of people I know work tirelessly to ensure that output is flawless and also spend a fair bit of time ‘doing their job’ which often includes tasks that are routine, perhaps even mundane. To be thanked for helping to make someone else’s job easier / smoother / seamless brings a smile to the face and adds a spring to the step and makes those early mornings and late nights worth the effort.Who have you thanked lately?