With a shout out to the folks at the Compensation Café blog, I just read an interesting post on research that demonstrates the positive results that come from saying thank you. So, as you read that last sentence you may have thought, “They needed a study to demonstrate that? I learned that as a kid.”
Yeah, me too. Specifically from my kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Kreiger with some reinforcement from Miss Marilyn on the Romper Room TV show (along with her classic advice to “Do be a doo bee and don’t be a don’t bee.”)
Saying thank you is just the polite thing to do, right? Have you noticed, though, that polite behavior doesn’t seem as prevalent as it used to be? In the ongoing battle for our attention between getting results and building relationships, the focus on results seems to be in the lead. For leaders that are all about the results, taking the time to say thank you often gets pushed down the list of things to do. After all, you’re busy. They know you’re busy and probably know you appreciate their help. If you don’t have time to say thanks, it’s not that big a deal, right?
The research suggests otherwise. Here’s a quick summary from the PsyBlog on the study that was published by Adam Grant and Francesca Gino in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology:
In the first study, 69 participants were asked to provide feedback to a fictitious student called ‘Eric’ on his cover letter for a job application. After sending their feedback through by email, they got a reply from Eric asking for more help with another cover letter.
The twist is that half of them got a thankful reply from Eric and the other half a neutral reply. The experimenters wanted to see what effect this would have on participant’s motivation to give Eric any more help.
As you might expect, those who were thanked by Eric were more willing to provide further assistance. Indeed the effect of ‘thank you’ was quite substantial: while only 32% of participants receiving the neutral email helped with the second letter, when Eric expressed his gratitude, this went up to 66%.
Saying thank you led to a 100% increase in willingness to help again in the future. If you’re a leader who’s all about the results that should get your attention. Turns out that saying thank you is a pretty important skill to have if you want to get things done. Here are some tips on how to do it:
Make it personal: Acknowledge the time and effort your colleague spent to help you out. Just like you, they’ve got 24 hours in a day and no more. They made a choice to put off something that was important to them to give you assistance. Let them know that you appreciate that.
Make it clear: The research shows that a thank you means more when the person being thanked understands the value of what they did. Make it clear in your thanks how what they did helped you.
What about you? What are some of the most meaningful thank you moments you’ve had? What made them so memorable? What else do you think is important in saying thank you?
In my opinion this is the most under used tool in the leadership toolbox. I have seen so many situations when a team was assembled and asked to deliver a difficult project on a very tight time frame and the project sponsor never acknowledged the results. The reasons vary but are usually along the lines of, "they are doing their job, they don't need to be thanked" or "there are lots of teams that do good work, why single this team out". Both of these reasons are just wrong. A sincere thank you doesn't cost any money, is always appreciated, and will often result in additional effort the next time the individual or team is selected for the next business critical crunch. Obviously over using the thank you will not work, but used appropriately this simple thing results in big returns and a happier team.
Posted by: Karen | October 27, 2010 at 01:47 PM
Nice little piece of research. It is worth noting that a substantive "Thanks" is valuable "360" to staff, peers, bosses, family members, service providers. Thanks for a great reminder that I'll apply today.
Posted by: Meredith Kimbell | October 27, 2010 at 02:32 PM
OK .. Let me see if I get this ..
Saying "thanks" is a good thing.
Saying "thanks" often is a better thing.
Saying "thanks" a lot leads to an office full of "thankful" employees.
Being "thankful" for hearing the word "thanks" leads to a warm and fuzzy feeling of "thankfulness" for having such a wonderful boss.
Warm + fuzzy = corporate nirvana and we all like nirvana don't we?
Well now that I know all of this I'm thinking I should be "thankful" for the opportunity to read all about the value of giving and sharing "thanks".
I'm also thinking that folks would be "thankful" if we had some kind of national holiday celebrating the true and amazing value of having, giving, and receiving "thanks". Oh wait, I'm sorry, we do have one of those holidays and it's just around the corner in November.
If I remember correctly, last year I was absolutely "thankful" that there were more turkey's on the table than there were sitting around it.
My sincere "thanks" to everyone for putting up with this rambling diatribe and a big "Thank You" to the folks out there who actually reading this far .. :-)
Posted by: JF | October 28, 2010 at 08:30 AM
This is great advice. You should say thanks anytime you can and even in situations where you do most of the work and they should be thanking you. Add to this smiling and active listening and you have a big piece of the recipe for successful leadership. For on leadership check my book summaries at DrDougGreen.Com.
Posted by: Drdouggreen | October 28, 2010 at 10:30 AM
Thanks (no pun or joke intended) for the comments everyone. It's really interesting to read the different perspectives everyone has on the efficacy of saying thanks. Apart from the "it's a nice thing to do" school of saying thanks, I was most intrigued by what the study I cited indicated are the future motivational benefits of offering some grounded and specific thanks for a job well done.
Posted by: Scott Eblin | October 29, 2010 at 08:09 AM
Scott,
It seems like such a simple thing, and it means so much. So, THANKS for bringing the subject of expressing "thanks" front & center.
And, a great tool I have found useful is Send Out Cards, a marvelous online tool that sends out cards through the post.
Posted by: Gretchen Krampf | October 30, 2010 at 04:13 PM
Scott, thank you for the shout-out! Saying thank-you is simple, but it's not necessarily easy.
I like how you phrased "fresh, personal and clear."
I believe these are absolutely the baseline for meaningful recognition -- frequently, timely and persona.
I wrote awhile ago about the need to go a step farther by making recognition specific, actionable and authentic. Those descriptors are available here: http://blog.globoforce.com/2009/11/specific-actionable-and-authentic.html
Posted by: Derek Irvine, Globoforce | November 03, 2010 at 04:47 PM