Since it’s Thanksgiving week, let’s ask a question about your leadership and management style . . .

Do you thank people as often as you should?

Too many busy professionals, I am sure you have noticed, are so busy rushing from one pressing task to another that they never take a moment to thank people for their contributions and hard work.

The immediate result is that the workplace becomes a less pleasant and appreciative place to spend time. But failing to give thanks causes serious problems too. Thanking people makes them feel noticed and appreciated. When they don’t, they stop working as hard, stop contributing their best ideas, start to complain and gossip about you and your management team, and can even start looking for jobs outside your company. All those problems, and more, can often be prevented through the simple act of giving thanks.

A Quick Checklist of People to Thank on the Job

• Thank the trainees who have just joined your company. They could have gone to work for other companies, but they are now with you. If you thank them, you reinforce the idea that they made the right choice and that they will enjoy a good future with you.
• Thank the people who you work for to let them know that you appreciate the opportunity to work on important projects and initiatives, to take on increased responsibilities, for improvements in your company’s facilities, and more.
• Thank your colleagues for the work they have done to help you complete important projects or offer advice or moral support.
• Thank your customers and let them know how much you appreciate your business.
• Thank the people who report to you for their hard work and for the contributions they have made to specific projects and initiatives.
• Thank support employees who do not report to you – the people who work in your company’s parking garage, in your cafeteria, and who bring you the mail, repair your computers, and provide other support.
• Thank vendors. including training developers,  for the quality of their work, for what they provide, and for special efforts they have made on your behalf.
• Thank external service providers like advertising agencies and marketing companies and let them know how they have contributed to your success.

Going the Extra Mile when Saying Thanks

Yes, we do live in a pressured time when we try to invest minimal time in any task we perform. But giving thanks becomes more memorable and effective when we do more than blast an email to groups of people we would like to thank.

Depending on the time you have available and on whom you are thanking, consider making phone calls, sending hand-written thank-you notes, or sending small gifts. Also, consider thanking the people who work for you by giving them increased responsibilities. (“You handled that client so beautifully that I would like to let you take over one of our most important accounts . . .”)

Different people like to be thanked in different ways.

As we close today’s post, we would like to say thank you for reading the Tortal Blog. We wish you a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday.