Not too long ago, I read an article which outlined the top five ways a leader leads. Each lesson was important – ranging from modeling behaviors one wants to instill in their followers, to creating a unified and compelling vision, to challenging team members to stretch themselves in order to reach the goal. However, the one that really grabbed me was one of ‘encouraging the hearts of people.’
The fact is – we all need encouragement. We live in a world which seldom encourages us. Often, we forget to be grateful for the contributions others make both large and small.
We all know what a powerful B12 it can be to have someone say: “Thanks so much for all you do,” “I appreciate the extra time you took,” “Great Job” or just “Thanks for stepping in and taking the reins.” We each can do this with those that cross our paths – personally and professionally. It is not hard. It costs nothing, and the ROI can be huge. Of course, our expressed gratitude and praise must be pure and authentic. To shower someone with empty accolades is false and will erode trust – not build it.
Yet, here are a few scenarios when we could leverage authentic gratitude. Why not try it today?
- When talking to the person who makes your Starbucks coffee or sandwich each day
- In any conversation with a friend, co-worker, secretary, receptionist, etc.
- When sending your standard email response to a routine question
- When texting a Facebook friend or acquaintance… you get the picture… in basically every interaction in our daily lives…
Simply start your conversations like this, “You know, there is something I have been wanting to tell you…” and then offer a kind, honest, and sincere piece of feedback about how they have impacted your life, your business, or even just your day. Would that not be the most amazing shift in our culture if everyone did that, even just once a day?!
Photo by Brooke Cagle on Unsplash
