Thanksgiving before Expectations

My professorial looking friend James Henry McIntosh, consultant, speaker, coach and writer, has allowed me to post the following article during this Thanksgiving week. (A thanks gift.)
Look further at his volume of outstanding work at http://www.nonsenseatwork.com/.


Thanksgiving before expectations.

This week we enter the period of gratitude and then we jump straight into the period of great expectations.

Actually, this is the correct order of things. Gratitude first, then expectation.

A common mistake we make is to withhold gratitude until we have received. In other words, until we can judge whether what we have received is worthy of our gratitude.

Imagine being served by a waitress who treats you poorly because she doesn’t know whether your gratuity will be worthy of better service. Or by a salesman who is aloof because he does not yet know how much you plan to spend.

Successful businesses don’t treat customers that way. They do two things differently. They are pleased to serve you before they expect you to reach for your wallet.

And their understanding of the word ‘expectation’ is different. They ‘look forward to’ you reaching for your wallet; they don’t act as if ‘it is their due’.

Copyright: 2008 James Henry McIntosh
www.nonsenseatwork.com

Improve your ROE

Here is number 3 on my list.

3. Say Thank You

Hello! How will this increase my ROE?

Here's a just do it and find out exercise:

1. Tomorrow count the number of times you say "thank you".


2. The next day double the number times you say "thank you" from the day before.


3. The next day double the number of times you say thank you" from the day before.


4. By the fourth day you will be a NICER different person.

The people around you will notice a more pleasant you but won't know why.

Research shows that, people who are encouraged to express gratitude report feeling happier, more excited and joyful, and even have fewer headaches and colds.
—"Counting blessings vs. burdens: Experimental studies of gratitude and subjective wellbeing in daily life," by R.A. Emmons and M.E. McCullough (2003).

Thank you for reading this blog.

ROE = Return On Energy

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