Let's do a thought exercise. Think back on your entire day (or yesterday, if you're reading this in the morning). Think about everything you accomplished, every task you completed on the job and every project you finished. Now, think about how many of those tasks and projects would have been possible without help from other people. How many of those people did you actually thank for their contributions.
As a leader in your organization, you likely have a lot of support for getting your work done. Every day, there are countless opportunities to express your gratitude for the help you receive. Are you taking advantage of those opportunities? It doesn't matter if the person who helps you is "just doing their job." People like to feel appreciated for the work that they do; if you want them to keep doing it, you've got to show your appreciation.
The absolute worst trap for a leader to fall into is to adopt a feeling of entitlement. When we start to think we deserve everything that is done for us, that is likely when we'll lose the support we have. If we want people to continue putting their all into the work they do for us, we've got to always be gracious in our demeanor and generous with our gratitude. When we miss an opportunity to say thanks, we are really missing an opportunity to instill trust and loyalty in our team. How many times have you said thanks today?
David Lykken, a 43-year veteran of the mortgage industry, is president of Transformational Mortgage Solutions (TMS), a management consulting firm that provides transformative business strategies to owners and “C-Level” executives via consulting, executive coaching and various communications strategies. He is a frequent guest on FOX Business News and hosts his own weekly podcast called “Lykken On Lending” heard Monday’s at 1:00 p.m. ET at LykkenOnLending.com. David’s phone number is (512) 759-0999 and his e-mail is [email protected].
