Malayan Proverb
Two simple words--thank you. Have you stopped to thank the people who have helped, or are helping, you along the way? How many times have you meant to say thank you for a kindness, but not followed through? Time gets away from all of us, but we need to recognize the people around us not just because it is good manners, but also because everyone likes to be appreciated, even if it is simply for doing their job. The positive feedback one receives from those two simple words can be immeasurable.
Over the years, I have found that one can say thank you in a variety of ways. For our staff at the Wealth Management firm I co-founded, Coldstream Capital Management, it might have been buying them a latte. Other times, I would buy a flower for each of them, both men and women, and leave on their desk before they arrived in the morning. The occasion? Because it was Tuesday! In other words, there was no reason other than to say, "I recognize your contributions and I appreciate them." Even though I retired two years ago, I still occasionally show up with flowers for them, most recently after the particularly grueling stock market problems. While I am no longer "in the trenches" with them, I remain a company shareholder and board member and believed it was important for them to know that their accomplishments in a trying time are recognized externally, as well as however they may be recognized internally.
As the old saying goes, it's nice to be important, but more important to be nice. Each year, large professional investors are called upon by Institutional Investor magazine to vote for the best analysts on Wall Street for their annual All-Star team. As the Bank of America Investment Management Health Care Analyst, I worked closed with several of "The Street" analysts and participated in the voting. We were large clients of the various firms and, thus, important clients. Occasionally, when I found that an analyst had been exceptionally helpful or was head and shoulders above everyone else in research and service, I would phone the appropriate Research Director to tell them I had voted for their analyst. In one instance, I said that we are all quick to criticize and complain when something goes wrong, but I think we should have that same duty to tell someone when something goes right. I told her that I had voted for three of their analysts and wanted to personally say I thought they were doing a good job. The response I got was, "You don't know how much this call means to me. I have had a week where every call I have gotten was to criticize. Your call reminds me that people recognize we are good and do many things right. You have made my week." Of course, I received a call not long after from the analysts who were thrilled to have their Research Director relate the story. Years later, when I was no longer a client, the analysts continued to provide me their research in a show of appreciation.
This marks the last of my posts for the EIU Business School blog as I turn the task over to others. Appropriately, I want to thank EIU Business School Chair Cheryl Noll for having the confidence to ask me to participate, Director of the Student Center for Academic & Professional Development Kathy Schmitz for her help and Dean Diane Hoadley for her continued support in my endeavors. The experience was rich and rewarding as I continue to explore ways to "give back" in the second phase of my life.
As the writer Gladys B. Stern said, "Silent gratitude isn't much use to anyone." So, whom are you thanking today?
