In the work relationship, few things are more powerful or important than appreciation and acknowledgment. Knowing that someone recognizes our efforts and cares that we showed up each day is vital.
And one of the most effective ways to create this experience for others at work is through expressions of gratitude. Expressing gratitude to others not only has a positive impact on them, but it also has positive side-effects for you.
In the U.S., when the month of November arrives, we begin to think about the Thanksgiving holiday. A number o
f years ago, I was inspired by a friend to use this holiday as a time of reflection about who and what I was grateful for (more on this later). Part of that reflection for me has been to send notes of appreciation to those who have had an impact on my life in the past year.
It is a wonderful and uplifting exercise each year. And, it helps remind me of how powerful expressions of gratitude are on human relationships.
This year, in hope of inspiring you to adopt a practice of expressing gratitude both at work and in your life, I’m going to write my notes of gratitude as blog posts. My goal is to publish a note of gratitude each day between now and Thanksgiving.
I hope each one serves as a nudge to take a moment and reflect on who and what you are grateful for each day. When it involves a person, I hope you will take the extra step to share your appreciation. Your relationships will benefit as a result.
Today, I want to express my gratitude specifically to my friend, Don MacPherson.
It was Don who provided me the nudge to start my annual Thanksgiving exercise of sending these notes. A number of years ago, I heard Don speak about how he would make phone calls ON THANKSGIVING to people as a way of expressing his appreciation to them.
I will admit that I thought he was a little bonkers when I first heard this. But when I found myself on the receiving end of one of his calls, it really moved me. And then I understood.
Don is a smart and caring leader who I am privileged to know. Every conversation I have with Don leaves me both smarter and a lot to think about.
If you don’t know Don yet, I would urge you to check out his new podcast called 12 Geniuses. You can find it on iTunes, Stitcher or on his website. It is good stuff.
Thank you, Don. I am grateful for you.