'Tis the Season of Thanks

Let’s face it: The work world can be pretty stressful, and a small token of appreciation -- a kind word, an unexpected nicety, a simple “Thank you!” – goes an awfully long way. As my Nana Nell used to say after handing me something, “And what do we say?”

Not only are good manners deeply appreciated on a personal level, they also inspire people to work harder.

In a 2010 issue of the Journal of Social Psychology, professors Adam M. Grant and Francesca Gino published a paper called "A Little Thanks Goes A long Way: Explaining Why Gratitude Expressions Motivate Pro-social Behavior." The authors found in four intertwined, randomized studies that a simple ‘thank you’ by an authority-figure inspired people to volunteer for more work. Why? Because being thanked made them feel more valued and appreciated, which, in turn, made them want to help out more.  Expressions of gratitude also increased their feelings of self-efficacy -- that is, the idea that they were contributing more to the community surrounding them.

That’s something to think about in the office – and, heaven knows, in your personal relationships too. So I’d like to say thank you to each one of you – for your continued support after so many years, and for helping to grow the movement to support women entrepreneurs. I thank you for keeping me inspired on a regular basis, through your emails and updates on your successes and accomplishments. I thank you for helping me get that much closer to achieving my own dreams – and for motivating me to dream bigger.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!