The power of words is evident and especially today with social media, words can be used to promote your business or political platform, raise awareness about social issues and, unfortunately, words can also be used with the intent to hurt. Thought-leaders who discuss leadership and management skills often focus on the importance of good communication and how the power of words (or lack thereof) can make or break a culture within an organization. Those of us with experience working within organizations know about the power of words but as someone just starting your career, how might the power of words impact you?
You may think I’m referring to words commonly used by organizations and thought-leaders when actually, I’d like to discuss two very simple (yet, in my opinion, underused) words in our vocabulary: Thank You! The words, “thank you” can change relationships, reposition situations from contention to collaboration and, like in my own experience which I will share here, can change your career quite literally! Once I share my story about how “thank you” changed my career, I will offer a few suggestions for how these two words can change yours.
My career started in healthcare when I, as a single mom who desperately needed employment, accepted a six month maternity leave through a temp agency. The physician who hired me for this administrative assistant contract, a leader who I wrote about in my recent articles for #bealeader returned from an invited lecture in South Africa with a gift for my daughter. That evening, I helped my almost-four-year-old daughter write a thank you card for the thoughtful gift. I placed the thank you card with the barely legible printing under his door and later that day, he invited me into his office for a discussion. This man was very intimidating to me and until this day, I basically avoided him beyond our little communication about work. I was one month into the contract and this was my first “real job” … I was a twenty-one year old single mom with little education and I was not the confident person and employee I later became.
The physician thank me for the “very cute and thoughtful” card and then began to interview me (unbeknownst to me at the time) about my life: why was I working at this hospital; what were my future employment and education goals; would I consider staying on past the six months; did I have and want a mentor? I’m happy to say, this six month contract turned into a wonderful ten-year career working with this same physician and a whole team of physicians and healthcare professionals within the hospital. In my first post for The HR Gazette (Get your learning on!) I wrote about the importance of professional development and this too came from my experience at this hospital which I am convinced started on that fateful day, all because I took the time to say thank you on behalf of my daughter. The experience taught me never underestimate the power of words and in this case, the power of two words because for you, like me, the words “thank you” can change your career quite literally!
Not everyone is fortunate to find a person who believes in their potential and offers to mentor them as this physician and team kindly did; however, there are many opportunities for you to say, “thank you” throughout your career and I challenge you to do so. Here are some suggestions for how these two words may change your career:
- Be sure to thank each person who offers to help your career; whether a simple thank you card or an offer to buy lunch or coffee, take the time to demonstrate your gratitude.
- Later in my career as a manager, I always (always) thanked my team members for their efforts, big or small. Yes, they are paid to do the work but taking the time to say thank you goes a long way! It’s one of those things I like to refer to as, “small effort = big impact” not unlike my own daughter’s thank you card.
- If you’re currently seeking new employment, send thank you cards (I love hand-written cards but an email will suffice) to those who gave you the opportunity to interview. Again, your small effort will make a lasting impression. As someone who has hired team members, I remember those who made this effort when it came time to making a decision.
- If you find an opportunity through networking, express gratitude to the person who advocated on your behalf. It’s sad that this has to be said but personally, I’ve introduced many people to others with no thank you in return and well, it’s simply not nice.
- I mentioned mentoring as an important aspect for career development; I’ve been mentored and have been a mentor to others throughout my career. If you’re fortunate to find a mentor, please thank them often. Mentoring is often (and should be) a non-paid position and a lot of effort goes into these relationships. Tell your mentor, “thank you for your time and support, I appreciate you” as often as you can. Lastly,
- Be authentic … people can tell when you’re not authentic so be the person who is sincere with your gratitude or please, don’t bother. Thank you!!
About the author
Following a long career in healthcare, Claire works with individuals and organizations in the GTA offering program & curriculum design, strategic planning & business development. Claire is a Founding Partner of The ALSC, a non-profit organization located in Toronto, supporting student athletes, academic studies & life-skills. In other community efforts, Claire sits on the Board of Directors of Women At The Centre; a non-profit organization dedicated to the eradication of gender-based violence. Claire’s position is Director of the Women’s Economic Development and the Men & Boys portfolio. Claire also collaborates with various associations who advocate for women-related issues such as women in STEM & politics. Recently, Claire co-developed a certificate program, “Nonprofit Leadership & Management” for George Brown College in Toronto & will start teaching in 2015. Adding to her expanding network of social media clients, Claire accepted a Community & Strategic Management position with Edge Imaging in Burlington, ON working with the Executive and Marketing teams. You can also find additional authored posts at ChangeYourGameBealeader.com where Claire is a Resident Writer exploring issues about leadership.
Claire Crossley
Strategic Engagement * Non-Profit * Leadership * Education
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