TIP 50
SEND FIVE THANKS A DAY
Who does not thank for little will not thank for much.
One of the most effective ways to build powerful relationships and attract great people is to thank them for all that they do for you. Make it one of your daily habits (Tip 3) to send at least five thank-you notes a day. It may surprise you, but it actually takes much less time to jot down a simple thank you and mail it than it does to make a phone call. A note is more thoughtful than a phone call because it will never catch someone at an inopportune time. A handwritten note is also more personal and more likely to be remembered and appreciated. It doesn’t have to be a long-winded letter. Just a simple line or two of gratitude is all that is required. Buy a box of stationery and some stamps to keep handy in your desk at work for thanking clients, colleagues, mentors, and managers. Keep another box in your desk at home for thanking friends and family members. You can also keep a handful of stamped postcards in your daily schedule or agenda, and when you have a few spare minutes while waiting at a restaurant or bus stop, you can be jotting down a thank-you note or two to pop into the nearest mailbox.
You will be amazed how many little things people in your life are already doing to help you out. If you take just 15 minutes a day to write a few notes and acknowledge them, they are even more likely to want to help you out again in bigger ways in the future. If you don’t acknowledge a small favor, why would anyone feel inclined to grant you a large favor?
Think of clients who just bought services from you or your company. When I worked in sales at the bank, I had to buy my own thank-you notes because the bank didn’t want to run the expense of buying them for the salespeople. But I knew that thanking my customers was one way to keep them coming back for more, and it made my job easier. Sending a thank-you note is a piece of cake compared to making a cold call. A few years later, the bank launched a customer service campaign and started requiring that the salespeople send out thank-you notes to all new customers. Don’t wait until your company figures this one out. Do it yourself.
And don’t forget to thank colleagues: the one who switched days off with you so that you could spend time with an unexpected out-of-town guest; the assistant who typed your report for you at the last minute even though he already had an in-box overflowing with work; the mentor who explained the ins and outs of the office politics. Take the time to acknowledge your boss. Most often managers get picked on and criticized; rarely are they thanked for the good things they do. Did your manager give you credit for the work you did on a big project? Don’t expect this. Your manager has every right to take full credit. Send a short one- or two-line note thanking your boss for acknowledging your efforts. Be sincere, thoughtful, and concise. This not only will make your boss feel good, but it will also remind him or her of the good work you did. When you take a few minutes to think about it, you will start to realize just how much help you get every single day of your life.
If you had a rough day at the office and don’t feel particularly grateful, think of five friends or family members you haven’t appreciated in a while. If they haven’t done anything special lately, don’t let that stop you. You can thank your mother and father for just being there for you or for giving birth to you and raising you. Thank someone for an invitation to a party even though you couldn’t attend. You can get creative with this and thank people you might not normally thank. How about thanking the chef at your favorite restaurant for the fabulous meals? Don’t worry. You can never give too much thanks. More often than not, people are starved for a little acknowledgment. Start thanking at least five people a day in any way that feels appropriate. You might whiz back an e-mail thank-you, leave a Post-it note on a colleague’s desk, thank someone publicly in a meeting, or write a note card. Can you imagine how wonderful it would be if you received five notes or words of gratitude every single day? So start the trend yourself and get writing.
This tip has an unexpected bonus. In the process of actively looking for people to thank and writing these simple notes, you will feel a wonderful, warm feeling of gratitude. Done day in and day out, you will begin to develop a constant and natural sense of gratitude and appreciation for all the people in your life. This is an incredibly magnetic and attractive quality. When you start looking for things to be thankful for, you end up attracting even more favors and more friends. Give and you shall receive.