In life, and in business, being grateful is a powerful and effective practice. I recently sent a thank you note to the scheduler for a medical specialist at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. She helped us get a much needed appointment two years ago. That woman’s compassion helped give my daughter back her life and I just needed to let her know. That simple exchange opened my eyes to the power of genuine gratitude and made me see its value. Feigning gratitude is really useless, but truly reflecting on what has been good for you gives you reason to pause, smile, and refocus on the good stuff. And, if you do offer some genuine thank yous, you can reestablish relationships that are clearly, mutually beneficial.
1. Identify your biggest success story of 2013. Maybe you scored a new client from a referral. Maybe you created the dream vacation for a treasured client. Maybe you got a tip on a new piece of software that saved you a ton of money. Thank someone who helped make that possible.
2. Identify your happiest moment from 2013. Think of someone who was with you at that time and thank them for sharing that moment with you.
3. Identify your most recent, best customer service experience. Was it at a local Starbucks? Maybe the gas station attendant who put air in your tires? Maybe a retail store clerk? Maybe it was when you were on the phone dealing with a supplier partner? Reach out and thank that business, that employee, that vendor for their professionalism.
4. Identify something that pleasantly surprised you. Did someone compliment your business? Did an industry supplier call you out as a success? Reach out and thank the person responsible and maybe even more important — pay it forward. Be the “pleasant surprise” for someone else.
5. Simply say “thanks for the business.” Thank your customers for their business or their referrals. It’s a reason to reach out to your clients. Don’t ask for anything either. Just say thanks.
The University of California, Berkeley, actually has a whole practice dedicated to the study of gratitude called “Greater Good: The Science of a Meaningful Life.” On their website they say that practicing gratitude has proven to be “one of the most reliable methods for increasing happiness and life satisfaction; it also boosts feelings of optimism, joy, pleasure, enthusiasm, and other positive emotions. On the flip side, gratitude also reduces anxiety and depression.”
I firmly believe gratitude is good for our professionalism too! Identify someone you can randomly, genuinely thank today and make that happen.
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By Mary Pat Sullivan, CTC
