In the car driving back from our weekend-long Easter
festivities at my family ranch, my husband sneezed. “Gesundheit,” I said.
Silence. No "thank you?!" It made me think about the day we gave out our annual year-end gifts.
Out of about 300 people who came through my line to pick up their new phone,
probably less than 10 told me thank you. Is it a cultural thing? Is it an age
thing? Or do people just not say it anymore? How important is it to say and
hear those two little words?
A Little Thanks Goes a
Long Way: Explaining why Gratitude Expressions Motivate Prosocial Behavior,
explores the positive benefits saying thank you has in the workplace. It argues
that when people feel gratitude for something they do, they are more likely to
show gratitude – a prosocial behavior – toward someone else (Grant & Gino,
2010). Think of the Liberty Mutual TV commercial: Person A picks up a toy for a
kid who threw it out of his stroller; person B sees this, gets inspired and
helps an old lady cross the street. Person C sees this act of gratitude and
then assists someone in backing up from a tricky parking spot. It’s the same
concept, only in the workplace.
The authors conducted three experiments; in each experiment
they found that saying “thank you” made people feel they are part of the group,
and their willingness to trust the group and cooperate increased (Grant &
Gino, 2010). This ties back into what Nohria et al (2008) say are the four
drivers people seek: acquire, bond, comprehend, defend.
While something as simple as saying “thank you” doesn’t seem
like a very big deal, it is. It shows your gratitude for your coworkers, and
who knows, maybe your coworker will be more likely to do something nice for you
after hearing those magic words.
References:
Nohria, N., Groysberg, B., and Lee, L. (2008). Employee Motivation: A Powerful New Model, Harvard Business Review, pp. 1-7
Grant, A. and Gino, F. (2010). A little thanks goes a long way: Explaining why gratitude expressions motivate prosocial behavior, Journal of personality and social psychology, 98 (6).
Hi Lauren,
ReplyDeletevery interesting post...I do think the little things like the thanks or the personal messages we type to invite people to connect on LinkedIn rather than just using the default "I'd like to connect with you on LinkedIn" message makes a difference. Maybe I'm just strange that way.
You know, I get the same response from my wife when she sneezes? Can't we all just say thank you? (It may have to do more with the fact that she sneezes in threes. I used to say "bless you" after each one until I discovered the sneeze multiple I always thought it was cute and distinctive.)
Martin & Schmidt (2010) detail many ways for companies to keep top talent, and keeping people engaged and acknowledging/recognizing their contributions, both extrinsic and intrinsic (Ryan& Deci, 2000)
One thing I've noticed in agency work is that nearly every conversation (I'd guess to say about 97 percent) that I've had in my comm
career ends with a "thanks." That's even when I'm the one doing the favor or providing a service to a client. I've also been around other marketing and pr people and its weird (maybe more interesting than weird), but we all seem to use "thanks" much of the time.
And as far as my wife's sneezes, I'll continue to say bless you, because I care... and its a habit, probably a good one to have.
thanks!
I agree, Al: it's the little things. Saying thanks, writing thank-you notes, smiling at someone when you pass them in the hall. I, too, have noticed that my meetings usually end with a "thanks." I wonder if we are more comfortable saying this to someone that we know, rather than someone we don't? Or maybe we're more appreciative of people we work with because we know how much work goes into what they do?
DeleteLauren,
ReplyDeleteGreat post, and a unique view on this topic. One of the sources I have been using for our 500 final paper deals with valuing the human element in the workplace, and how you can create motivated employees just by treating them how people should be treated. When you say little things like, 'thank you' it makes a person feel valued, as trivial as that may sound. People work harder if they feel their voices and opinions matter, and that they are working for a company that genuinely values what they do and who they are as people. This may be a tiny step in the direction towards truly valuing the human element, but we have to crawl before we can walk, right?
I'd be really interested to hear your thoughts a little more in-depth on this. Do you think that the culture within your organization would change if those things started becoming the norm? Do you think it would create a positive or negative change? Obviously you wouldn't want it to be forced, but if it is, will that actually have a negative effect on the culture? All intriguing questions.
Great stuff, though. Really enjoyed reading it!
Thanks, Andrew! I don't think it COULD bring a negative culture to the workplace. The only thing I could think of that would negatively affect it is that people might be seen as weak. For some of my colleagues, it's really difficult for them to ask for help because they might look weak, that they don't have the skills to get the job done or that they are completely overwhelmed and need someone's help. So maybe by saying thank you, they might be perceived to be soft?? I realize that's grasping at straws, but a possible drawback. Overall, though, I think little changes like this would do a lot.
DeleteLauren,
ReplyDeleteYou have hit one one of the biggest pet peeves I have in the business world today. I was brought up to be polite, to say please and to say thank you. Even if it for the smallest gesture. There is a big lack of gratefulness and common courtesy in business today. And I can't quite understand why. Everyday, I make a point to speak to everyone I may pass in hallways, see in breakrooms, etc. Speak and smile! And it is surprising that many do not return the greeting. That used to bother me. But, it hasn't stopped me from doing it. Even a simple smile will go a long way, from my perspective.
A simple gesture such as saying thank you can help do so many positive things. If sincere and heartfelt (and not sappy or forced), a positive gesture can help build the elements to fulfill the needs that Nohria et al discussed. I don't know so much about the defend component, the others are ripe. Being genuinely nice helps you to bond with others, makes you approachable. This bonding can lead to acquiring respect, responsibility and even rewards. Not to mention you might acquire a friend along the way. If you do have a positive and grateful attitude, I think it helps you have a more accepting understanding (or comprehension) of all the different people you deal with, and the unique challenges you might face. Comprehension of all the pieces of the puzzle that make up your team or organization would make for an outstanding employee. And if it is a sign of weakness, then I am very happy being weak. Being anything else than what I have learned to be just ain't worth it. :)
Sorry for the long-windedness. Told you it was something I was passionate about!
Hi Lauren,
ReplyDeleteI hope you had a nice Easter! So, the big question is...is saying thank you "intrinsic or extrinsic" according to the readings? :) I'd say for most people is the latter, but what do you think?
Adriana