Many people feel underappreciated and undervalued by their bosses, co-workers, spouses, and children, and there’s a chance that some people you’re really grateful for may not fully experience how grateful you are. To help us communicate gratitude in the most meaningful and beneficial way, Mark Goulsten, lays out what he calls a “power thank-you” in his insightful book, Just Listen: Discover the Secret to Getting Through to Absolutely Anyone.
Here are the 3 parts of the power thank-you:
1. Thank the person for something specific that the person did for you.
2. Acknowledge the effort it took for the person to help you by saying something like, “I know you didn’t have to __________ ” or “I know you went out of your way to do ________.”
3. Tell the person the difference that their act personally made for you.
Here’s an example: If Hannah made lunch for me, I could say, “Thanks so much for making lunch for me. I know that you’re really busy taking care of kids and juggling admin stuff in our business, and you definitely didn’t have to make something for me. It lowered my stress to find that lunch was already made when I came in thinking I would need to make something myself, and it really got my afternoon off to a good start.”
What better season than during the holidays to encourage some people with a power thank-you?
Thanks so much for taking the time to read our e-newsletter. We know you have lots of demands on your time, and we’re grateful you’ve chosen to spend some of it with us. So many of you have encouraged us this year and supported us in our efforts to help more people move to the best homes for their best lives. We could not succeed without our caring, supportive community. Thank you!