Say thank you, it can pay off..

Say thank you and strengthen relationships with a little pat on the back. Saying thank you is always a good idea, and in the run-up to Christmas 2010, two experiences reminded me how much it can mean.

Say thank you and strengthen relationships through small gestures

I received a letter from the city of Delray Beach, where we lived. At first, I thought it was an advert, but it was an award for our Christmas decorations.

I’d decorated for my family and a little for the neighbours. The city’s thanks made me feel I’d also done something for other people in town. Giving me that experience probably didn’t cost a fortune.

I felt both happy and a little proud. And of course it made me want to decorate again the following year. I imagined the recognition could also inspire more people to do something for their neighbourhood.

A thank you from an Amino user

Around the same time, I received an email from a loyal Amino user. Through his activity on the platform, he’d won a large order from a Danish company and wanted to thank me for making it available.

I conveyed the meaning of the email in the video, not its exact wording. I didn’t mention the amount either. But the short message made me happy and want to help him again.

Who deserves a pat on the back?

A thank you doesn’t need to be a cunning plan. But when someone takes time to recognise an effort, the relationship gets stronger. Next time that person asks for help or suggests an idea, you want to listen. Also read Min vej som leder about my experiences of people and relationships in companies.

So think about who in your circle deserves an email saying thank you or well done. It may take just a few minutes, but it can make the other person happy and bring something good back.

I’ve also talked about how small service experiences make customers feel welcome.

A photocopied certificate can do more than you think

I love Christmas, and when the award came through the letterbox, I laughed a little at first. I thought it was bloody funny that the city was thanking me for my Christmas decorations. But then I thought about how clever it really was.

After all, I’d mainly decorated for myself and my family, and a little for the neighbours’ enjoyment. Even so, people driving past the house might smile. The city’s little certificate made me see my own effort differently: I’d done something for others too.

I imagined some staff had driven around in the evening, looked at the Christmas decorations and left a photocopied note for the people they wanted to recognise. I didn’t know the city’s exact process or expense. Of course, sending people around costs something, but the gesture itself doesn’t need to cost a fortune.

Neighbours can spread something positive among themselves

When one person puts up lovely decorations, it can inspire another to do it the following year. Then perhaps people also start taking a little better care of their surroundings. I compare it to a neighbourhood where one person gets a beautiful new roof. Suddenly, several neighbours are doing it too.

That’s the kind of positive atmosphere I think recognition can help create. It certainly made me want to decorate again next year and tell others about the award I’d received.

In the video, I play with the idea of there being 25 per cent more Christmas decorations the following year. That was my hypothetical example, not a measured result. If more residents did something themselves, I also imagined the city might save something on its own decorations. My point is the possible effect of a little thank you, not a municipal calculation I’ve documented.

A short email makes me want to help again

The Amino user’s order was more than substantial. I didn’t mention the amount because it wasn’t mine to share. But his message made clear that his activity on Amino had given him a chance to show how capable he was.

Writing that short thank you probably took him no more than half a minute. Afterwards, I was left feeling I owed him a favour. Next time he asks me something or suggests an idea, I’ll listen particularly carefully.

I’m not saying he’d necessarily planned it that way. It may well have been a completely straightforward thank you. But that’s still an effect it can have. The same goes for the city: Once they’ve recognised my contribution, I also feel a little more inclined to help them. If I see an ice-cream wrapper in the street, I can pick it up.

Say thank you and strengthen relationships before Christmas

There are still a few days until Christmas, and email has been invented. Think about who you know who deserves a pat on the back. Who’s done something you’re grateful for? Who deserves to hear that they did a great job?

It may take five minutes to write a proper email, but it can make the other person really happy. They may also think it was generous of you to take the time and want to help you along. A little thank you can come back many times over.

Best wishes, Martin