The Power of Gratitude: How Saying Thanks Contributes to Your Bottom Line

Published: Thu, 05/29/14

Laura Stack, The Productivity Pro

"Piglet noticed that even though he had a Very Small Heart, it could hold a rather large amount of Gratitude." -- A.A. Milne, British author of Winnie-the-Pooh.

The Power of Gratitude: How Saying Thanks Contributes to Your Bottom Line

Shortly after Robert Eckert joined the ailing Mattel toy company as CEO back in Y2K, he convened a large meeting of all its employees to thank them all for their fine work-and for the even finer work they were about to do. Eckert firmly believed that most people go to work willing to over-deliver. From that foundational belief, a culture of gratitude sprung forth, allowing Mattel to become the envy of the manufacturing industry. While it took several years to turn the company around, Mattel made Fortune's list of the "Best Companies to Work For" from 2008 through 2013.

Adding the Attitude of Gratitude to Your Business  

Eckert knew that showing appreciation can encourage employees to work harder for you. How do you sow and encourage this gratitude culture within your team? It actually starts with you. Consider these factors while handing out thanks, whether to employees or customers:

 
1. Don't overdo it.  Praising everyone for everything they do dilutes the effect. One of my friends is a ghostwriter, and he has a customer who praises to the skies everything he submits. While my friend appreciates that, and no doubt the customer means every word he says, the praise has become routine and expected. In some ways, the effusive praise means less than praise from tougher clients perfectly willing to bounce an article back for rewrite—or even kill it—if it fails to meet their needs.
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(C) 2014 Laura Stack. Laura Stack is America's premier expert in personal productivity. For over 20 years, her speeches and seminars have helped professionals, leaders, teams, and organizations improve output, execute efficiently, and save time at work. She's the author or coauthor of 10 books, most recently, Execution IS the Strategy. To invite Laura to speak at your next meet or register for her free weekly newsletter, visit www.TheProductivityPro.com.