Has our obsession with efficiency rendered the thank-you obsolete? How many of you drop a quick thank-you note after a colleague has supported you? How many of you don’t? And how many of you believe that it doesn’t even matter and have never thought twice about it? (Be honest now…)

We are all so busy that sometimes a thank-you feels more like a big, hairy request rather than a simple act of gratitude. I have even worked with teams who have captured “no thank-you emails” as part of their team operating norms. They have declared this behaviour obsolete. Sounds reasonable right? The challenge is that thank-yous, though they may feel superfluous, are in fact a very important part of building culture.

According to the research of Daniel Coyle, author of The Culture Code, thank-yous play a key role in highly successful cultures.

“Thank-yous are not only an expression of gratitude; they’re crucial belonging cues that generate a contagious sense of safety, connection and motivation.”

Daniel Coyle – The Culture Code

Did you hear that teams? Thank-yous play a key role in creating successful cultures! A small thank-you can have a big impact.

I have had many clients speak to me about a lack of recognition and connection in the workplace. Yet we have this powerful tool right at our fingertips. By simply saying thank-you we can have a measurable impact. Now I am not advocating flooding everyone’s inbox with thank-yous; I am advocating, however, that you take the time daily to share some well-deserved thank-yous to praiseworthy individuals. With this simple and authentic gesture, you can begin to create the safety, connection, and motivation that is required to be successful as a team. The ROI is there, you just need to show me the thankfulness!

Marnie Smith, Managing Partner
Lighthouse NINE Group
marnie@lighthouse9.ca

Leave A Comment