Striving towards Excellence

I'm very human. And so I sometimes get a little bothered by ingratitude. I try to treat people well, help them win and champion them, so that they reach for their best life. Sometimes, I'd just love to hear two magic words: “thank you”.

Yes, I know that if you do something good for someone with the expectation of a reward it's not a gift - it's a trade. And I know that good things happen to people who do good things. And I know that life has a very fair accounting system and as one sows, one will reap. But I'd still like to hear those two magic words once in a while.

I had breakfast with friend the other day. He's helped so many people in his organization realize their highest potential - as leaders and as humans. He looked at me and said: “Karthik, after all these years in business, I can count on one hand the number of people who have told me that they appreciate what I've done for them.”

I believe I'm offering you a very real point. According to Gallup research, the number one reason an employee leaves an organization is not because they were not being paid enough money; they leave because they were not given enough appreciation. Your talent goes to the competition because no one said thank you to them.

So today, take a moment and think about the people in your life who need to be celebrated, appreciated and told that their support has been helpful. Offer a heartfelt and enthusiastic “thank you”. Those two magic words don't cost anything. But they will make a world of difference.