Food for Thought: Giving thanks.

With Thanksgiving Day in our rear-view mirror, the subject of gratitude still feels relevant. We typically think of gratitude in a personal sense—as in, feeling thankful for our health and our family. For a moment, let’s turn that gratitude toward our business lives.

Earlier in the year, a client with whom I worked for the first time sent me a hand-written thank-you card after our project wrapped. “I wanted to express my gratitude for your contribution,” it read in part. The gesture made my day—my week. It remains clipped to the inside cover of my everyday notebook as a reminder not just of a successful collaboration but of the power of two words: thank you.

We thank clients for their time after a meeting, for an invoice paid on time or a new project commenced. How many other opportunities, large and small, are waiting for us to express our appreciation?

Saying Thanks in a Business Setting

Thanks for your consideration. Simply acknowledge that you recognize the time and energy it takes for your prospect to evaluate your proposal.

Thanks for your energy and enthusiasm. You know those people who just get fired up about everything? Appreciate their mojo.

Thanks for your general awesomeness. Those people who make you better just by being in your orbit? Let them know it.

Thanks for your attention. When you give a presentation, honor the time and mental energy your audience is giving you.

Thanks for your honesty. When someone gently points out a flaw or suggests a better way, respond from a position of gratitude, not of fear or dismay.

Thanks for the opportunity. When a door opens for you to make a pitch, to collaborate, to join a team, to present, acknowledge the rarity of that opportunity.

Saying thanks early and often in business relationships builds just that: relationships. It forges a deeper connection based on admiration and respect.

From a purely Machiavellian standpoint, saying thanks is a way of recognizing, rewarding and encouraging a desired behavior. Whether you’re nurturing a child or “training” a new client, expressing your gratitude for a specific action or attitude increases the odds that it will happen again. Say, “Thanks for your quick and focused feedback; it allowed me to make changes quickly and keep the project on track.” “Thanks” is a powerful word in the service of positive reinforcement.

Other Ways to Say Thanks

• I appreciate …
• I honor …
• I admire …
• I’m grateful …
• I acknowledge …
• I approve …

As the calendar winds down, I share with you this: I’m grateful that we’re connected. I appreciate any opportunities—past and future—to collaborate with you. I thank you.

“At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us.”
—Albert Schweitzer

Worth Reading

The Karma of Gratitude: Gretchen Schisla of Enrich Creative is the author of the thank-you note I treasure. Her colleague, Suzanne Duval d’Adrian, recently wrote about gratitude on their Enrichment blog.

The Gift of Gratitude: Accidental Creative author Todd Henry offers insights on saying thanks to people who’ve influenced your creative process.

Worth Eating

You Can Do It: Make Homemade Bread: When we dine together, we’re said to be “breaking bread.” Bread is at once the humblest and most essential of many world cuisines. And it’s easy to make at home. Super easy. Trust me: You gotta try this. (With thanks to my brother, Bill Millholland, for the recipe.)