Gratitude:
The Secret of the Rich
Dear
Associate,
What
do you do right after someone refers a new client to you?
How do you handle gifts from satisfied customers? What do
you say after receiving a compliment? And how many times do
you get invited for cocktails?
What?
You say you've never received any of these in your life. You
don't believe in Santa Clause or the Tooth Fairy. And people
are too busy thinking about themselves to pay any attention
to you.
What's
up with that?
In
today's "me, myself and I" society we tend to forget
there are people who do nice things for us. It could be the
gentleman opening the entrance door, the maid who does more
than expected cleaning our house, or the prominent socialite
inviting us for brunch. They thought enough about us to go
the extra step. Wouldn't it be rewarding to let them know
that we appreciate them?
I'm
on Sondra Thiederman's website. I've never met her. She speaks
on diversity in the workplace. I really enjoyed her article
and had to let her know:
"Enjoyed
you article, Imus in Us. You walk your talk. Appreciate
your
honesty. We all could learn to become better human beings."
Sondra
replies:
"Tommy:
Your kind e-mail was such a lovely way to end the week. Thanks
for
the words of support. We all just have to do the best we can."
Wow,
I made her week with four short sentences. Amazing. We all
have that power within us to brighten up someone's life. And
it doesn't have to cost a lot of money. What people really
want on a deeper level is to feel important and appreciated.
One
afternoon, I'm at a wealthy socialite's home for a potluck.
Her back yard butts up against a golf course. She is an avid
bridge player and once played adjacent to both Bill Gates
and Warren Buffet's table.
Someone
was making a speech in the patio. She instinctively checks
if she's blocking anyone's view and moves aside. She's thinking
about others first. What a kind and gracious gesture. The
party was a huge success because she made it so.
Afterwards,
I was compelled to send her a thank you card. I made sure
to do it first thing in the morning. Wouldn't she be surprised
to receive a card from someone she just met the previous day?
I'm
suggesting these little acts of gratitude do matter. They
speak volumes about you. People don't forget your appreciation.
Now
if you are grateful and reply with kind acts, will people
always appreciate them? I'm afraid not. Usually it may not
be their entire fault. I believe most of us receive so little
appreciation growing up we don't quite know how to respond.
But
the majority of times people will light up with a smile. And
maybe reciprocate with a kind gesture or warm words. It's
this spirit of giving and holding people, even strangers,
in high regard that reveals your inner-character.
So
if a motorist lets you into the flow of traffic, give him
a thank-you wave. If someone baked chocolate chip cookies
for your sick child, give her a hug. If a crew was painting
your house, invite them inside for lunch. You'll see that
a little gratitude can go a long way to brighten up someone's
day.
Warm
Regards,
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