From time to time, after a big day like Easter or a Friend Day, our staff sit down and wrote hand written thank you notes to everyone who made that Sunday happen (often 100+ thank you notes).

We write, pray, write and pray some more.  It’s a powerful reminder that you aren’t in this alone . . .and its a powerful connection for your people to receive them too.

I recently read this story in the new Tom Peters book (Little Big Things) – he captures the spirit of ‘saying thank you’ perfectly:

“During my brief White House stint in the mid-1970s, I did something similar, spending eight or nine straight hours one New Year’s Eve on my office phone. I called close to 100 people I worked with—in agencies all over Washington and in embassies around the world—to thank them for their help the prior year.

In addition to enjoying the chats, which I did . . ., I admit that I was purposefully engaging in an ADRE…an Act of Deliberate Relationship Enhancement. I’m not suggesting false sincerity here, as I fully buy the argument that ‘If you aren’t sincere, it’ll come through as if you were using a megaphone.’

I nonetheless urge you to develop some similar ritual. Moreover, I urge you to start it in the next couple of weeks, then get into the New Year’s Habit. Think ADRE. Twelve months a year!”

I love the idea of ADRE – an Act of Deliberate Relationship Enhancement.

Now quit reading this blog and go write 3 thank you notes . . . now.  Go!

With thankfulness for you,

Nelson

P.S. I recommended Tom’s book, Little Big Things, in the April Church Leader Insights Newsletter.  Did you get it?  You can subscribe to the Newsletter for free by clicking here.