Show some love in your daily interactions.
When did you last say thank you to someone? I mean, not to your partner for preparing breakfast, or the supermarket cashier, just because it’s a habit. And I don’t mean your annual Happy Holidays card with your printed signature either. I’m talking about a 1:1 conversation expressing your appreciation and gratitude. Just think about it for a moment…
Now that we’re all on the same page, let’s look into what this little gesture does to you, your team, your business partners, and your customers.
The One Who Says Thank You
Believe it or not, there are people out there for whom it is hard to say thank you. Not just the mumbled one, but the real one, the thank you that shows appreciation. Showing gratitude requires putting some thought into it and your heart where your mouth is.
- Who do you say thank you to? And how do you say it? Do you use the same words for everyone?
- Do you do it on special occasions only or is it a regular routine?
- What happens within you when you say thank you to someone? How does it make you feel? And how do you feel about it?
Gratitude is an emotional thing, and often, it requires practice and preparation–you don’t just walk around and randomly dole it out. Gratitude triggers something in you and the one you show it to, and, above all, the one who doesn’t get it, well, not today.
The One Who Receives the Thank You
Just like it’s hard for some to say thank you, it’s hard for some to accept appreciation. Don’t mistake it for an attempt to come across as modest, or even worse, don’t even go in the direction of thinking it’s being rejected–keep on doing it until people get used to it. What’s going on in a person who received appreciation?
- They just say thank you–simply because they deserve it. Or because they are surprised. Or because they’re not used to it.
- They get all emotional–yes! It’s cool to receive appreciation! Whether in the form of a thank you or an award, appreciation is a wonderful thing.
- They try and reject it. Well, often praise is followed by negative news, like a refused pay rise or promotion. Or worse…
Accepting thanks takes practice, just like giving. And the more natural giving becomes, the more natural acceptance will become.
The Side Effects of Showing Gratitude and Appreciation
There are several well-known side effects when gratitude is expressed and appreciation is received. Among the most well-known are:
- Motivation
- Reciprocal Gratitude
- Feeling Good
These feelings will inevitably lead to better relationships between both parties, better performance of teams, and better business outcomes.
If you have been watching kick-off meetings, OEM roadshows, conferences, and, of course, reading The Cannata Report closely, you will have noticed how the atmosphere in a room changes, how smiles take over gray faces, and how relationships start flourishing. And it doesn’t really matter what materialistic matter comes with the appreciation; being mentioned, being showered with good and honest words is worth more than vouchers or trophies.
I highly recommend trying it. Make a list of:
- Colleagues
- Business Partners (OEMs, vendors, etc.)
- Customers
- Friends & Family
And for each person, enrich this list with notes about what you are grateful for and how you want to show your appreciation. Some examples to recognize are:
- Service achievements (e.g., years, excellence, revenue, ideas/contributions)
- Anniversaries (e.g., birthdays, other family events)
- Social engagement (e.g., helping coworkers, humanitarian causes, humane causes)
Gratitude keeps people attentive and humble at the same time. Without our teams, partners, clients, and suppliers, to name only some, we aren’t much at all.
Let me close with a line by Arnold Schwarzenegger that has stuck with me: “I’m not a self-made man; I am a man who only made it because so many people believed in me and helped me on my way. Without them, I would be nobody.”
