| Thank and grow rich - 2 |
|
The American actor and writer, Ben Stein, once said, "I cannot tell you anything that, in a few minutes, will tell you how to be rich.
"But I can tell you how to feel rich, which is far better - let me tell you first hand - than being rich. Be grateful - it's the only totally reliable get-rich-quick scheme."
What often gets in the way of expressing thanks to others is the idea that we can't show ourselves to be soft.
They will come to expect it all the time. They aren't doing that good a job.
Today's creeping culture of cynicism is somehow presented as cool, when, unchecked, it can burn us on the inside and consume our potential.
Appreciation begets appreciation. The more you thank people, the more they will appreciate you.
If you mean it sincerely, people will detect your warmth and reflect it back to you in co-operation.
They will also be more receptive to constructive criticism when it's required, as they will already know they are valued.
You could consider:
- thanking your team before they leave for the evening. Be specific: "I appreciated the way you handled project X this week."
- sending a thank you email or card to someone who has done a good job recently, possibly with a modest gift.
- finding ways to thank your better half - not just on birthdays and at Christmas. Small kindnesses can inject romance into tired relationships.
While a family member was in hospital recently, my wife and I showed our genuine appreciation for ward staff with a card and good quality chocolates.
Virtually overnight, we sensed a shift in atmosphere to one of reflected appreciation.
As John Glover, comms chief at NHS Dumfries and Galloway, remarked aptly to me last week: "Gratitude is such an easy thing to express but can have a hugely positive effect." |
