Are You Thankful? Let Others Know.
Remember the look on your college roommate’s face when you divided the candy bar you’ve been hoarding all week and hand her half, unsolicited?
Showing appreciation at work is the same way. You only need a little bit to make a co-worker’s day and encourage her to view you in a positive light from that point on. Did someone help you out? Thank her. Was it a big deal, did she go out of her way or did it take a lot of time? Send her a card or flowers, or take her to lunch. If she really went above and beyond the call of duty, make sure her boss knows about it.
I don’t subscribe to the theory that you shouldn’t have to thank someone for doing her job. When a colleague does her job well and it helps you, what harm does it do to thank her? The answer is none – it just makes her like you more.
It’s unfortunate that some people in the business world don’t believe in sharing credit for successes. You should get into the habit now of always acknowledging people’s achievements, large and small. You don’t appreciate when your own accomplishments are met with silence and others don’t either.
Sharing appreciation and praise helps those of us who lean naturally toward the “glass half empty” mentality to focus on the finer aspects of other people and their behavior. Not only does this behavior strengthen our relationships and encourage cooperation, but it also positively impacts the way we think about ourselves and the world.
Tagged as appreciation,
career advice, career tips and advice,
communication, gratitude, networking, relationships.
Alexandra Levit
Alexandra Levit’s goal is to help people find meaningful jobs - quickly and simply - and to succeed beyond measure once they get there. A former nationally syndicated columnist for the Wall Street Journal and a current contributor for Fortune and Metro US, Alexandra has authored several books, including the bestselling They Don't Teach Corporate in College, How'd You Score That Gig?, Success for Hire, MillennialTweet, and New Job, New You. Her book on the top myths of business success is due out from Penguin/Berkley in the fall of 2011. Since serving as a member of Business Roundtable's Springboard Project, which advised the Obama administration on current workplace issues, Alexandra produced the critically acclaimed JobSTART 101 (www.jobstart101.org), a free online course that better prepares college students and graduates for the challenges of the workplace. She is a frequent national media spokesperson and has been featured in thousands of outlets including the New York Times, USA Today, National Public Radio, ABC News, Fox News, CNBC, the Associated Press, Glamour, and Cosmopolitan. In 2010, she was named Money Magazine's Online Career Expert of the Year and the author of one of Forbes' best websites for women. Known as one of the premiere spokespeople of her generation, Alexandra regularly speaks at conferences, universities, and corporations around the world including the American Society for Training and Development, Campbell's Soup, McDonalds, and Whirlpool — on issues facing modern employees such as how to communicate effectively between generations.
