For many years the words “Thank you” have been viewed as an only do when you need, which means for the family who sent you a gift. Most people in the business world have stopped saying thank you to employees to their team, and their customers. It has become commonplace for those leading the organization to ignore the team’s work and focus on what is best for them. So that leaves the two words, “Thank you,” left to school-age kids and grandparents. 

But “Thank you” has an awesome power in the workplace and can excite and drive performance. Leaders have been trained to think that a simple “Thank you” shows weakness. If you say it, you are only showing those on your team that you cannot do it yourself. I often have heard the excuse, “I told them to do the task; why would I thank them.” Or maybe the other common excuse is, “I do not thank people for doing their job.” 

These are just ways that show that the team is not valued. Leaders who refuse to show thanks show that the team does not matter. However, the truth is often the opposite. Often, if the team is not there to do a task, make a call, run a machine, and greet a customer, the organization will stop existing. Yes, having a leader is vital to an organization, but without a team of employees, the organization will not grow and fail. Even if you are a new entrepreneur, there is value in a simple thank you note to a customer, a business associate, or even a person contracted to perform work. How do you show value and encourage with the power of two words? These simple words show that the team has brought value to the organization’s goal. When leaders take the time to thank a team member, the leader gains influence, and the team becomes excited. The employee grows through a simple understanding that the organization improves when I do good work. Exciting other team members to do their best increases motivation and enhances output. A simple “thank you” can turn a disheartened employee into an excited-to-come-to-work employee. Below are steps to help you start saying “Thank you.”

The words “Thank you” are simple and easy to say. It can be easily said in other languages and brings a true power. I understand that if you have multiple employees, you might not be able to say “thank you” to every one of them, but you do not need to thank all. Just start by thanking a few.