Two powerful, simple words our parents taught us in our formative years. As we grow older, many of us stop saying thank you. We may still feel a level of gratitude, but the verbal expressions slip out of our vocabulary.
I know for myself I had stopped saying thank you even though I felt gratitude inside. One day, a work supervisor pointed out how one customer complained she felt I was ignoring her feelings. Throughout the whole interaction, I felt like I was polite and helpful.
After that coaching session, I began saying thank you more often. To my amazement, I saw people’s attitude toward me change. Even difficult situations became less confrontational. I began to say thank you in verbal and written conversations. Instead of a traditional closure at the bottom of my emails, I closed with Thank You, then my name.
As a result of me incorporating Thank You into my everyday life, I noticed a change in how people respond to me. They were more friendly. Even in difficult situations, if I found something I could acknowledge a good point by a simple Thank You. If I couldn’t agree with the other person, I would say, “Thank you for sharing your point of view.” This told them I acknowledged their opinion, even if I disagreed.
What about in your life?
How often do you use these two words?
Has using the words Thank You changed your relationship with those around you?
