Addressing the Thank You Scarcity

I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought; and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder. ~G.K. Chesterton

Did you know that people who show appreciation for what they have and to other people, are both healthier and happier? Well, guess what? These people are also better at business.

The latest copy of Fast Company arrived today and in the monthly article by brothers Dan Heath and Chip Heath, authors of the best-seller Made to Stick, they talk about gratitude in the corporate context. Their thesis question is, "Why do companies make it so hard for us to say thank you?"

Listen to this. The Heath brothers cite a survey of 10,000 employees from the 1,000 largest U.S. companies in which 40% of workers gave "lack of recognition" as a key reason for leaving a job.

Then the authors refer to research in which expressing gratitude has been proven to be a top happiness-enhancer. Connect the dots and you get customers who thank employees, thus making both parties happier in the process. Even Dilbert's boss would like this one.

American Airlines is working on it. They've created a program called Applause in which they give select frequent fliers pre-printed cards expressing appreciation. Then it's up to these customers to deliver an "applause" card to employees who offer exemplary service. United Airlines has a similar program.

Kelmar Safety has a different program with the same objective. Truck drivers hear phoned-in comments about their driving from the 800- How's My Driving phone number. Now, mostly these comments are not complimentary, but 18% are.

Think about how you letting your colleagues, customers, and maybe even a boss let you know you appreciate them. It's free and an unquestionable win-win success strategy.