Who have you thanked lately? Who has your heartfelt gratitude and you just haven’t said it?

I read an article recently that said only 10% of us working in the United States thank someone every day. I don’t think that the statistic applies to us but it caused me to pause.

The reasons given for not thanking are varied:

The person being thanked might get a “big head.”

If you thank someone, he might ask for a raise.

Why thank someone for simply doing his job?

I don’t require a lot of thanks. Why should I give it?

My answers are simple:

The better someone feels about themselves, the better they perform. Self esteem earned by positive feedback and gratitude strengthens the team.

How people do their job ranges from “as little as possible to as much as necessary” to “excellence all the time in every way.” In my book there’s no such thing as just doing your job. We have over a thousand people making hundreds to thousands of decisions daily that affect our success. The more people we have pressing toward excellence, the better we are. Saying thanks inspires others to do better.

You may not need thanks but rare is the person who does not appreciate being appreciated.

I am guilty of not expressing the high gratitude I feel. It’s in my heart and in my mind. It just doesn’t always make it to my lips.

People are encouraged by gratitude. Not just colleagues but spouses, children, friends and neighbors. Be someone who finds a way to express thanks and encouragement. It will help you “happen” to the world.