Thanksgiving ‘leftovers’ worth bringing into work

It may feel like there’s little to be grateful for at the office these days. But a little thanks can go a long way. Here are seven ways to start.

We’ve just pushed back from the dinner table. Now it’s time to display some gratitude from your desk.

So how do you bring your Thanksgiving “leftovers” to the office? Check out these seven ways to cultivate a culture of gratitude in your own organization:

1. Say thank you 5 times a day. Or six times, or three times. Set a goal, even a small one, to thank people you work with: Elise when she brings you a fax, Tim for holding the door for you. When you see the same people every day, these little niceties sometimes start to slip.
2. Seek out a new person to thank. So Elise is always passing out faxes. While it’s nice to thank her, recognizing someone you don’t usually give attention to can really make someone’s day. Maybe Jack in the warehouse does a great job about giving a heads-up to Finance when there’s a problem with a shipment, so you can head off deductions. Thanking him is a great idea.
3. Thank high. Here’s someone who might also fall under the category of a new recipient: the person above you on the food chain. You want this one to be well thought out – express your gratitude for something significant they did for you to help you with your job.
4. Learn to accept a thank you. This is especially true if you’re a manager. It may be hard for people who work for you to come up and compliment or thank you for something.
5. Put it on paper. Saying thank you to someone is one thing. Leaving a note (e-mail doesn’t count) on someone’s desk is a completely different matter. It has a lasting impact and might even spur other co-workers to do the same.
6. Say thank you when it’s hard. One of the toughest times to utter those two little words? When someone’s giving you “constructive criticism.” But as long as the person is coming to you from a good place, a sincere acknowledgement shows you’re open and interested in improving. Heck – it can defuse someone with less-than-honorable intentions, too.
7. Thank outside the building. Yes, it’s great to spend time thanking the people you work with day in and day out. But your company will cultivate an excellent reputation for being appreciative if you also thank customers, suppliers … even your FedEx and UPS people!