Tom, a business manager, told me. “I don’t have to thank my employees. They’re doing their jobs. That’s what they’re paid to do. I’ll thank and praise them when they do something extra.”
Me: “Do you like to be praised? Do you like to be thanked?”
Tom: “Sure, but only when I deserve it.”
Me: “And how do you feel when you are praised or thanked?”
Tom: “I feel good, I feel appreciated.”
Me: “And do those good feelings help you be more productive, pick up your energy, make you feel like contributing more of yourself?”
Tom: “I guess what you’re saying is that I can effect my people’s productivity by how much I praise and thank them. It’s not how much I wait to see them generate themselves to do their work. I can proactively stimulate them to be productive by thanking them and praising them.”
Me: “Exactly, it’s called good leadership, creating a culture of appreciation that brings out the best in everyone.”
Practice: Make it a habit to every day give the gift of a thank you, a compliment or praise to each person on your team or in your organization. Look for the good things you can acknowledge. It’s amazing what shows up when you look for the good things, stuff that was there that you never noticed before, and stuff that is newly present because of the positive culture you’ve established. Also, notice another result: Your employees are thanking and praising your clients just like you’ve been thanking and praising your employees. Happy Thanksgiving every day!!
Jeri Quinn from Driving Improved Results is an executive coach, management consultant, speaker and author who focuses on communication in her work with executives and companies. She is the author of The Customer Loyalty Playbook, 12 Game Strategies to Drive Improved Results in Your Business. With more than 40 years as a serial entrepreneur.
