This article is part of the resource materials packet for Day 5 of the Good Success Thanksgiving Challenge. If you have not yet completed the assignment for Day 4, click here to read the resource materials and catch up.
Whew! After yesterday, you are probably pretty excited to be thanking a co-worker today. That’s pretty simple, right? After all, most of us are basically polite people so we probably thank our co-workers pretty regularly anyway…Or so we think.
I started being very intentional about thanking the people I work with several years ago, and I soon realized several very important things:
- We don’t thank the people who work for/with us as often as we think we do
- We don’t thank our service providers as often as we think we do
- A lot of times, people don’t hear the “thank you” even though we say it
As I began consciously thinking about how thank my co-workers, colleagues, and fellow industry professionals, I realized that there is a big difference between a fast “thank you” in passing and a really meaningful Thank You. The former is seldom heard and people often do not even think you mean it. It’s automatic. The latter can change the entire attitude of a company, office, or professional relationship.
With that in mind, here are three tips for saying a really meaningful thank-you to a co-worker:
- Identify the reason you are saying thank you.You can say thank you for getting something done or accomplishing a task, but the more impactful thank-you statement will thank a person for being themselves.Consider these examples:
- “Thank you so much for getting the checks mailed out today.”
- “Thank you so much for getting the checks mailed out today. It means so much to me to know I can rely on you for that every month.”
The second statement indicates that the person you are thanking is reliable and you are routinely grateful for that characteristic. It creates an ongoing “thank you” even when you are not actively stating that you are grateful. It shows you value the person, not just the action.
- Don’t overlook the people above you on the ladder.People often laugh at me when I say you should thank your boss, but you should thank your boss! I can tell you that your boss took a risk when they started their business. They took a risk (even if it was an educated one) when they hired you. They feel responsible for keeping you employed. It is a real joy to own your own business, but there is also a great deal of pressure, so thank your boss for your job, your health insurance or other benefits, and for their bravery in starting their own business (if applicable).Thank your manager for keeping track of everything (even if it drives you crazy). Thank your supervisor for the hours they spend planning for your team. Be sincere, but also go ahead and make yourself do it even if you don’t want to. Your relationship with these people will improve as a result and they will feel more appreciated than you know.
- Thank your colleagues and co-workers for their skills and strengths.
When you say thank you to a colleague, co-worker, or service provider, it is a nice additional sentiment to go ahead and say thank you for being in business or thank you for working with us in our business. This not only demonstrates you appreciate their work, but it also shows you consider them part of your team.
Once you have said your thank-you for today, don’t forget to post your progress on the Good Success Facebook page. Then, get ready for tomorrow’s challenge, because it’s going to be one of our most fun challenges yet.
Are you playing catch-up? We’re thankful you’re here! Click HERE to go to Day 4 of the Good Success Thanksgiving Challenge or HERE to find the resources for the Challenge Day 6.
