Today’s post comes from my weaknesses, not my strengths. This is one of those posts in which I’m writing to myself and you just get to listen in. 

I’ve given 2009 a theme. For me, this is The Year of the Small Things. Don’t worry, I plan to do some big things as well. However, as I reviewed 2008, I realized I was so interested in doing big things that I was letting those small things we mentioned last week slip by. I recognize the problem very quickly. Because I was letting the small things slip, I wasn’t actually getting any big things done.

There is one small thing I know will make a difference in every aspect of my life, especially my professional life. It will make a difference in yours as well. As we’ve learned on the Springboard, we have to keep the main thing people. The fact is, we’ll never accomplish any really big things on our own. So, our work is not just about us. It is about connecting with others. It is about serving others. It is about honoring others. It is about working with others.

The only way I’m going to do that is if I have a team. Now, I’m not talking about hiring your team here. I’m actually talking within the realm of the people that are already there (though in some situations this might help you bring people into your company as well). I’m talking about getting the people who receive a paycheck from you or who answer to you to actually like you. I’m talking about doing something that will help move you from Position Leadership to Permission Leadership and beyond with the folks on your staff (as John Maxwell would say). 

I’m going to warn you, this is a very small thing. One at a time, this action won’t seem to being doing all that much for you. At times it can seem tedious. It is so easy to put off ’til tomorrow because you have some other really big things to do today. But, if you do this small thing over and again, I guarantee you it will yield big results in your relationships, team building and trust. That will in turn yield big results on the work you do with your team.

Are you ready for the small thing?

Write thank you notes.

I’m sorry. I know you were expecting fireworks and Handel’s Hallelujah chorus playing in the background. This seems so anticlimactic. Trust me, this is indispensable. Let the folks around you know that you see what they do and you appreciate it. You must especially do this when someone does something specifically for you. Did they buy your lunch? Did they get you a birthday or Christmas gift? Did they cover you butt on some project? Thank them. 

And don’t just shoot them an e-mail or an instant message. Send them a note. Buy some stationary, pull out a pen, think about what you’re going to say–then write it down and mail it. That’s right, mail it. Don’t hand it to them in the hallway. Mail it to them. Every bit of this says, “Thank you and I really mean it.” 

Frankly, I stink at this. I still have thank you notes I need to write from last June. That’s why I’m writing this today. I can see how my lack of gratitude impacts my relationships and impacts my ability to do the big things. 

So here is small thing #1 that I’m going to work on this year and I hope you’ll do it too.

Let me give you 5 reasons for thank you notes.

1. It’s the right thing to do. I hope you won’t do this as a manipulative ploy. Instead, do it because it is the right thing to do. We need to be thankful to those who help us. If for no other reason, we should send a thank you note for this one.
2. They deserve it. When people do excellent work, when they go out of their way to help you, they deserve your thanks. Give it to them sincerely and meaningfully.
3. It reminds you you need others. Nothing worth doing is worth doing alone. As John Maxwell repeatedly points out, you can’t accomplish anything worthwhile on your own. Sending a thank you to someone simply reminds you you can’t make it by yourself. That keeps you connecting with people.
4. It connects you with people. Nothing will shock your team more than to receive heartfelt notes from you. A bond is formed when this sort of thing happens. Think about thank you notes you have received. Didn’t you feel more connected to that person the next time you saw them. You knew they appreciated you and that made yo appreciate them.
5. They’ll appreciate you. Do you see how these all build on each other? When I receive a thank you note, I appreciate the person who sent it. I begin to see what they do that I’m thankful for. This has even happened for me with people I wasn’t sure I liked. They sent me a thank you note for something and I suddenly saw them in a whole new light.