Someone I highly respect told me, "You have to read this book." And now I am telling you: please put A Simple Act of Gratitude by John Kralik on your reading list.
The subtitle of this amazing book is “How Learning to Say Thank You Changed My Life." This is how an independent professional (a lawyer, to be exact) who had hit rock bottom turned everything around when he decided to take on a project of sending out a thank you note a day.
Many of the notes had nothing to do with business. His transformation was profound; however, I couldn't help looking at what he did through a client-attraction lens. Sending sincere thanks is not a bad strategy for keeping your name in front of people.
When I shared this book recommendation with a few colleagues, Joyce Teal was compelled to share her view on the power of the handwritten note.
In 2010 Teal outspoke over 2,500 Toastmasters to win second place in the International Speech Contest. Her speech was titled, "Mentors, They Aren't Who You Think They Are."
“Using examples from life, I built a connection with the audience as we journeyed through common experiences recognizing mentors in our lives,” said Teal.
Here are her thoughts on thank yous.
“Felt compelled to respond to this. The power of a handwritten note is underestimated. Nearly every year I taught school, I would mail home two notes to parents. I had to mail them on Fridays so they would arrive on Saturdays and the parents would be able to see it.
"I would always choose two students who met some very specific requirements. One student was someone who made me question my decision to go into teaching. Generally, this student had a terrible week from every standpoint. My note would explain how much I appreciated having him in class, how his/her attitude challenged our skills to master the assignments of the week, and how I was looking forward to having him/her in class for the rest of the year.
“The second student was someone that I couldn't remember anything they had done that week. This student literally fell off my radar and I couldn't have told you whether or not they even came to school. My note would explain how their quiet, independent demeanor was laying the foundation for taking responsibility throughout the year and as he/she prepared for the future.
“The reaction from those two students on Monday was incredible. Both were smiling and put forth their best effort for weeks. It really made my job so much easier to send those notes.
“I will say I did get called into the principal's office for sending the notes. One parent actually called to say she had received the note by mistake - she didn't believe that anyone could have such wonderful things to say about her son! The principal assured her that the note was intended for them and yes, Ms. Teal really did have nice things to say about him. This young man, with some support and learning, literally stopped being a behavior issue, started doing his work, and his grades went up.”
Another example of the power of the handwritten note.
