When so much around us is changing so fast, it becomes more important than ever to stay focused on what matters most, maintain our morale, become better at spotting the opportunities in a situation, and build strong relationships with the people on our team.
One very powerful and ridiculously easy way of doing all these things is to get into the habit of saying, “Thank you.”
In this short video Tom Peters explains why, after more than 30 years as a leading management guru, saying “Thank you” is still his “number one top tip” for getting things done:
“It gets you further — and it also makes you a better human being.”
He explains how the great American psychologist William James discovered that the deepest human need is the need to feel appreciated. Saying, “Thank you” gives people that appreciation.
And in this time of change, saying “Thank you” also brings us three other important benefits:
- It reminds us of what matters, what is worth being grateful for
- It reminds us of what is going well, even if not everything is
- It builds stronger relationships
This means that when the next issue arises we start from a place of:
- Greater clarity about what matters
- Stronger morale and motivation
- Stronger relationships with the people who can help us to achieve whatever needs to be done
And perhaps most important of all, saying “Thank you” gets us into the habit of spotting the positives, the opportunities, in any situation.
In this time of massive change, all these things lay a foundation on which we can build: a launch pad from which we can become antifragile, able to use change to become stronger and more valuable.
When was the last time you said “Thank you” — to yourself or someone else? How did that make you, and them, feel? Is it time to start saying “Thank you” more often?
Adapted from Inner Leadership: a framework and tools for building inspiration in times of change.
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