The power of saying “Thank you” (Tom Peters)

Before we address an opportunity or a crisis, the first step of Inner Leadership is to centre and ground ourselves: to connect deeply with who we are and what matters most to us.

One very powerful way of achieving this is to get into the habit of saying “Thank you.”

For management guru Tom Peters, this is still his number one top tip. In this short video, he explains why.

For Peters, “Thank you” means recognition of a job well done. As American psychologist William James discovered, this matters because:

“The deepest human need is the need to be appreciated.”

For Peters, giving recognition in this way, “gets you further and it also makes you a better human being.”

But if we want to lead ourselves and others through a changing world, then it is also useful to realise that saying “Thank you” brings us something more:

• It reminds us of what is important to us, our priorities
• It reminds us (and others) of what has gone well during the day, and
• It brings us stronger relationships, with ourselves and with other people

This means that when the next problem or opportunity arises we will start from a place of stronger morale, feeling more centred and grounded, and more connected with what matters most to us. We will also have stronger relationships with the people who can help make things happen.

In a time of change, all of this will be invaluable. Thank you.