If you didn’t read some of our stories closely, we could be accused of being a firm that rips on work and is kind of anti-corporate. Nothing could be further from the truth.
We are actually the people who love our work, and we believe that we can all hold ourselves to a higher standard of how we work together.
We even know that it’s possible to work together well and still make our numbers (actually we know that if we are all better about working together we’ll crush our numbers).
We know that work can be great, should be great, and we know that one easy way to make it a lot better is to show appreciation. And what better time to show appreciation than at Thanksgiving. As rough and tumble as work can be from time to time, we all have some great co-workers, and most of us have had a great boss, and the simplest way to make work better is to say thank you to at least one of them.
Here’s my version of this, written to a boss that taught me so much and cared so much about making me into a real professional.
Hey Deb,
This thanksgiving I want to thank you for getting my career off to such a good start. I’ve been lucky to work for some good bosses over the years, but no one who was as determined and as willing to really put the time in with me to get better as you were.
I remember you working with me on an issue at 7 in the morning and on another one at 10:30 on that same night. I remember being amazed by your grasp of what we do, and hoping someday I could be as helpful to those with whom I work.
Thanks for getting me off to such a great start,
JP
So, here’s a template for you if you need help getting started. Remember to fill in the blanks, this is not send ready (I hope you already could tell). And when you’re done writing your thank you note, send it to others who can spread the good will and holiday cheer.
Dear FILL IN NAME,
This thanksgiving I want to thank you for SOMETHING SPECIFIC, NOT A GENERAL WAY OF BEING. You MAKE/MADE my career so much better.
I remember AN EXAMPLE OF THIS THING THEY ARE SO GOOD AT OR THE WAY THEY HELPED YOU. I continually admire your RECAP OF THEIR GREAT ATTITUDE/SKILLS/EXPERIENCE.
I hope you have a great thanksgiving,
YOU
Follow along on our Instagram with the hashtag #thanksforthanksgiving to see this gratitude being paid forward.
John Philbin
John is a co-founder of Happy Work Spectacular Life who, if he wasn't helping people with their careers, would consider himself a ghost researcher. His claim to fame is that he is a champion race walker (he actually came in second place).