In Business settings, it’s really easy to forget to take the time to say Thank-You, and yet, it’s an important part of interaction with others. It’s important to people that they feel valid, important, and respected. Just as saying sorry matters, so too does remembering to thank those who help you move forward. Here are some tips and ideas:

    * Email is nice; a personal card is better- It’s really easy to send email. I just sent a thank-you that way, and that’s what prompted me to post this. And yet, looking back, I think it’s much nicer to send along a physical card. A personal note written by your own hand inside matters far more than a few lines of type into a window that’s so easily available at your fingertips. It shows you care enough to take an extra step.

    * Write specifically- We’ve all done it: we get a gift from someone around the holidays or our birthday but we forget who sent what, so we send out that generic “Thanks very much for the gift.” People know. They feel a little less special when you’ve sent a generic reply. I find that people respond really well to targeted responses. “Thanks for the copy of IMPROV WISDOM. I really look forward to reading it, and look forward to discussing it with you when we talk next.” That’s simple, brief, and targeted.

    * Use nice cards and a nice pen- If you’re going to go this route, put in the extra few minutes to purchase nice notecards and use a pen that gives you decent flow. You don’t have to break the bank to still give a professional and yet personal presence via the thank-you note you select and the ink you use to sign it. And, just like attractive-looking people don’t always have a great voice for radio, an expensive pen isn’t always the best flowing pen. Read up on pens and their value on sites like PigPog, where Michael is nigh obsessed with quality writing materials.

    * In person- Make sure you say thank-you to people face to face when you have the opportunity. The same “content” applies. Be brief, be specific, and be warm about it. Say so in an unhurried way, looking into the person’s eyes. It is not enough to just say the words, or at least it won’t have the same effect. Don’t make it into a miniseries TV moment, but do try to make sure the person senses how imporant their contribution to your life really was.

    I won’t belabor the point more than this. Thank the people in your life who add value, and make sure you spread a little good karma that way. Be kind and generous in your thanks, and the results will almost always be favorable.

    在公務場合，我們很容易忘記對別人說一聲“謝謝”，然而，表達謝意是與他人互動的重要部分。畢竟，我們都希望感到自己是有用的，受人尊敬的。正如對他人說“抱歉”一樣，記得向那些幫助過我們的人說聲“謝謝”也是很重要的。在此，就向大家介紹表達謝意的一些方法和技巧：

    *用伊妹兒可行，致卡片更佳——用伊妹兒傳達謝意方便快捷。因為我本人就是這么做的，所以，我把這一點也列在這里。但是，回顧往昔，我覺得用卡片表達謝意似乎更現誠意。試想，一張親手書寫的卡片和一封用手指敲打鍵盤，顯示在窗口中的幾行字，哪一樣更為重要呢？自然是親手書寫的卡片更能顯示你想再進一步的心意了。

    *達意要明確——你一定有這樣的經歷：在節日或生日收到了禮物，卻忘記了誰送了什么的時候，我們只好籠而統之的寫上“謝謝你的禮物”。這樣的謝辭讓人覺得少了點用心。我發現有的人卻做到了有的放矢：“謝謝你送來IMPROV WISDOM的副本。我非常渴望拜讀，并希望我們在下次見面時能進行探討。”就是這樣，簡潔而有針對性。

    *使用漂亮的卡片和書寫流暢的鋼筆——如果你想用卡片來表達謝意，那么一定要花幾分鐘去買一些漂亮的便簽卡片和書寫流暢的鋼筆。但是不必用重金購買卡片和鋼筆，因為正如俊男靚女不一定有動聽的聲音一樣，價格昂貴的鋼筆不一定書寫流暢。

    *當面答謝——如果有機會的話，一定要當面表達謝意。感謝的話同樣應該簡短，有針對性，并且充滿熱情。說話時要看著對方的眼睛，娓娓道來。僅僅說一些不咸不淡的話是不足以表達謝意的，至少，其效果不能與上述方式的效果媲美。切勿將其弄得像電視短劇里的場景，但是應盡力讓對方感受到他們的幫助對你的人生有重大意義。

    我對這個問題的看法就闡述至此。謝謝那些為你的人生添姿增色的人吧，這樣，你的人生旅途也會更加順利。為人和善，慷慨致謝，就能長享快樂！