Thank You! Saying thank you is something that is said everyday whether if it is done with intent or not. If I go to a store and pay, I say thank you for providing me with your product and giving me the correct amount of change back. It’s morphed into a meaningless interaction and is expected at the end of a transaction. Depending on the service and product provided, it could’ve been a more meaningful moment. A thank you can also take many forms such as a six pack of beer or picking up the tab. At the capitalistic level, these two words have an entire industry dedicated to it, from a wedding thank you to a thank you card or note. However, how can the full power of these two words be harnessed and used to its fullest potential in leadership?

        Everyday I watch and observe examples of leadership whether it be in the office, gym, friends, family, church, or in any aspect of everyday life, I quietly watch and take note. I’ve observed and experienced the most simple and powerful moments being a couple of minutes taken to tell a person thank you. I’ve experienced the effects to be overwhelmingly positive being on the receiving end and delivering end. Receiving a thank you for noticing the work I’ve done turned my attitude around from I’m grinding and grinding at work to let’s do this! In taking the unexpected moment to say thank you to those I’m leading, I’ve notice an emotionally positive spark that comes from saying I notice what you have done, and it means a lot to our team.

        In the dire times of motivation, sometimes the display of gratitude can be overshadowed by other techniques such as the rah-rah style that can be effectively executed by some, but not all leaders. I’ve noticed the rah-rah technique to be hit or miss depending on the technique. Whereas saying thanks can be done by anyone regardless of leadership style with consistent results in effectiveness.

        However, being oblivious about those you are leading and what they are doing could possibly diminish power of the long term effects of this gracious moment. A baseless thank you with no prior interactions or experience with those you are leading or interacting with can render the thank you to be far removed, detached, and empty–meaningless. If the thank you is expected, then it could also lose some of its power as well. Throughout my life, I’ve only noticed a handful of people manage to mess this simple act up, but they are few and far between. This is what equates to a thank you exchanged by two strangers.

        The thank you note is also another technique I’ve seen leaders use in the past. A former CEO of Campbell Soup used this technique and took it to the next level by writing thousands of thank you notes for his employees.  If you have time write thank you notes, it will be just as effective as devoting a couple minutes in a face to face unexpected meaningful interaction. In today’s world, face to face communication and even verbal communication can be scarce due to e-mails and texting, but the latter two take up too much time to articulate and convey meaning in a message of gratitude. Time is valuable, stick to face value.

        Today, I had received a meaningful thank you that instantly turned my attitude and motivation back to a high performing level. It highlighted the importance of an unexpected face to face thank you. I reflected upon the notion and forgot that there is immense power by simply saying those two words, thank you.