THE ‘SMALL’ STUFF
People think that acknowledging the ‘little’ things don’t amount to much. In truth, it is the micro choices which exponentially grow into macro results. Gratitude and making sure people know that you notice their contribution is no different. It is, and always will be- the action you take is the legacy you leave. Always.
BUILDING ON STRENGTH
Humans will naturally respond positively to acknowledgement, and you naturally guide them to better and better performance by noticing their strongest ‘suites.’ Whether it be in a company setting, or a social setting, communicating your gratitude will only strengthen the relationship.
THE RATIO RULES
According to the newest studies, the highest performance among company teams happened when the ratio of positive comments vs. negative were 5.6 to 1. So, you can see the “gratitude ratio” needs to be pretty high if you want employees, or your friends, to remember the compliment and/or to be high- performers.
Another ratio worth mentioning is the 80/20 rule; and that is 80% of your business usually comes from 20% of your customers- so before you go chasing new customers, why not make sure you thank the current ones.
And finally, people will remember less of what you said and more of how you said it if delivered in a grateful way. People remember the feeling you gave them, not necessarily the words.
PAY IT FORWARD
Here are a few action tips for sharing gratitude effectively and making sure people know that you appreciate them:
For customers:
– Make it easy to reach your company and provide consistent world-class service
– Use a customer’s name when speaking with them
– Send hand-written ‘thank you’ letters to customers
– Take care of your referral network with the appropriate acknowledgement
– LISTEN attentively to your customers, do more asking than telling, and retain some of their personal details
– Be respectful of their time
– If you see a customer featured in an article send it to them with a congratulatory note
– Send sympathy and birthday cards
For employees:
– Always listen to their ideas and be grateful and appreciative
– Show gratitude when they successfully complete a task and share their accomplishments with the rest of the organization.
– Acknowledge their value and contributions to the organization with company gatherings
– Listen attentively and show a genuine interest when they share personal information
– Treat mistakes as learning opportunities
And for you:
– Bask in your own achievements by celebrating the big and small ‘wins’
– Acknowledge (to yourself) your contributions to the people around you
– Set aside time just for you, unscheduled time for personal pursuits
– Be grateful for today and what you have right now
As always, I’d really enjoy hearing your feedback so please feel free to leave a comment on the page.
Wishing you a life full of unlimited health, happiness and prosperity.
– Mark Luterman