thankful leadership

On this weekend of thanksgiving, let's remember that leaders need to be thankful people. Nothing says "follow me" more than saying thank you to someone for a job well done. Stopping by an office and saying thank you reminds the people you lead that you not only notice what they do, but that their contribution is appreciated. A simple thank you can last someone days, weeks, or even months...but don't let it go that long.

Saying thank you seems so easy to do - and yet is often unused by leaders. What gets in the way?

• time - leaders get too busy to say thank you (meaning you are too busy to lead)
• pride - saying thank you may mean that people might be doing a better job than the leader (which they should be doing if you are actually leading)
• background - no one ever said thank you to the leader, so why should he or she say thank you to others? (get over yourself)
• expectations - some leaders assume that people should do their job because it is their job - a thank you should be saved for anything that is over and above expectations (get real)

Writing thank you notes seems to have gone our of fashion, but even email thank yous are better than nothing. How hard is it to sit down at the desk, write a quick thank you to someone you just saw doing something well, and hit the send button? Your thank you will go a long way in helping that worker be more motivated the next time around.

So on this weekend of Thanksgiving, be sure to give thanks - not for all the wonderful things you have, or even for the people you lead, but to those whom you lead...and don't forget to keep saying thank you throughout the year.