As many of you may know, I work very closely with educational organizations in our effort to reform, build, and lead excellence in the United States educational system. It is an uphill battle for many reasons – some obvious, others not so much. Nevertheless, the commitment, passion, and work ethic of those devoting their lives to children and their education is simply awe-inspiring.
One such individual is Ron Clark, a name very familiar to those of us in the ‘movement’ to improve education for the next generation. He has written a best-selling book, The Essential 55, from which every single one of us could learn. It is a ‘highly recommend’ on my list of must-read books; as the principles he outlines are applicable for everyone, especially those of us in corporate America or in a struggling entrepreneurial venture. In fact, if I only had one book to give a few of my business friends – this would be it.
Today I am going to highlight rule #9 out of his 55:
“Always say thank you when I give you something. If you do not say thank you within 3 seconds after receiving something, I will take it back. There is no excuse for not showing appreciation.”
As adults, this is often a forgotten point of etiquette. We expect things. We demand things. If we have paid for it – there is no need to say thank you. ‘They are just doing their job – there is no need to say thank you.’
That is simply and utterly ridiculous. We need to stop it. As adults, we set the standard. Let us show appreciation. Aren’t we grateful when we are thanked for our efforts, our thoughtfulness, our forgiveness, and our hard work?
Karma at work.
