Are you too busy to appreciate people? The Colonel said, “You don’t have to be rich to be giving. Sometimes a simple ‘thank you’ to someone will be the most memorable gift they receive that day.”
My Godmother, Sara, was the strongest embodiment of this wisdom I have ever encountered. Sara had a habit I didn’t realize I’d picked up until adulthood. The last thing she would say to someone upon concluding a conversation almost every time was, “I appreciate you.” Sara said people didn’t offer appreciation to each other nearly often enough, so she let them know they were appreciated every chance she got. “No one really has to do anything for me, Lauren Ann. So, when they do, I think it’s important to let them know I appreciate it while I still have the opportunity.” She took every chance she got to let the people around her know they were appreciated.
We lost Sara in 2011, and I try to keep her example alive. When speaking with a speakers bureau that has booked me or is trying to schedule me, I let them know their efforts are appreciated. When I am working with a customer service agent to resolve an issue, I tell them I appreciate them and their time. Sometimes a simple thank you is enough, and sometimes it’s important to go a small extra step to say explicitly, “I appreciate you.”
Who do you interact with daily who makes your day or your job easier? It’s possible that helping you out is their job, but we all know a job can be done well or poorly. A job can be done cheerfully or begrudgingly. When it is their job, and they do it well or cheerfully, or they go above and beyond – let them know they are appreciated. Say, “Thank you.” Say, “I appreciate you.”
Read Lauren’s Whitepaper on The Nine Essentials of Significant Leadership.