Experiment This Week With the Power of an Observant Thank You.


Here in the US, it’s Thanksgiving this week as well at the beginning of Hanukkah. Many folks will take time off from work to be with family. So instead of my usual Thursday post on Strategies (th)at Work, I’m doing a special short post early this week about saying thank you.

First, I want to thank those of you who have given me encouragement, advice, and feedback, those of you who have posted comments, and those of you who have forwarded my blog links to others who might find the ideas and advice useful. I have tried to thank you individually where possible.

Photo Credit: psd via Compfight cc
Photo Credit: psd via Compfight cc

Second, I want to suggest that each of us take the opportunity this week to experiment with the power of an “observant thank you.” I don’t know about you, but the “thank yous” that keep me smiling all day are the ones where someone thanks me for something helpful that I have done that I didn’t expect anyone to notice. So this week, be a little extra-observant of family, friends, and colleagues and try to catch the subtle things they are doing to help you and others. Then when they least expect it, stick your head in the door of their offices or catch them walking down the hall, or drop them a short email and say something like the following in your own words:

“I wanted to say that I noticed [the patience, the skill, the commitment, the wisdom] you showed by [asking that question, clarifying our thinking, making sure our colleague was heard] and I wanted to thank you because you may not have thought anyone noticed, but I did. You made a big difference. Thanks.”

Third, if someone thanks you this week and you are someone who normally “fends off” thank yous by saying something like “oh, it was nothing,” try just accepting and taking in the appreciation and say, “Thank you.”


2 responses to “Experiment This Week With the Power of an Observant Thank You.”

  1. So… thank you for the donkey post. I was with several colleagues in a meeting which was not going well. One person pulled your blog on the iPhone and circulated to all six members of our round table. We had a good laugh, because it was so timely and true to the situation we were living right then and there.
    However… I had to give the donkey some water (even though it was delivered as water that could hardly be drunk). I could not let it die, but I think, so far, it was the right thing to do. Keep writing, I love your blog posts. Happy Thanksgiving.

    • I am glad the blog gave the team a way to see the humor in the situation. Thanks for the feedback and encouragement. Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family as well.