The Power Of Thanking Others

Courtesy of woodleywonderworks/Creative Commons License

A few days ago I came across a guest post on Michael Hyatt’s blog entitled Lessons From The Ordinary.  The post was written by Skip Prichard and it discussed the importance of recognizing the simple actions, and behaviors of people we come across on a daily basis that we might take for granted.  It was a good reminder for me to slow down and be more alert with what’s happening around me.  However, what stood out was when he said:

Lessons: Everyone is hurting in some way. Everyone needs praise. Get comfortable with praising good work.

I began to wonder, “How am I at praising and thanking volunteers and coworkers in my ministry?”

It’s an important question to answer because recognizing your team means recognizing the way God is working through and around you.  Not only does thanking your team give honor to God, but it fuels the momentum of your ministry.  When people feel appreciated they’ll step up their game and go into battle with you because they know you believe in them.

But, a thank you or gesture of praise needs to be authentic and consistent at the same time or else you’ll fall out of habit.  To keep a system of praise and thankfulness going on you need to:

• Schedule It In: If you do not make this a part of your routine you’ll find yourself forgetting to thank others.  This doesn’t mean sending thank you cards out on Monday.  It means taking the time to review and reflect on people who deserve encouragement.  Schedule it in and it becomes a priority.

• Be Spontaneous: Schedule it in; however, be random with how it’s delivered.  Thank people who aren’t expecting it.  Do for one person, even if you cannot do it for everyone.  Shaking up when and how you give praise to others will make it that more authentic.

• Personalize The Praise: Reward someone by lifting up what’s important to them.  If a minister takes pride in the fact that they know every teens name, have those teens sign a card that shows their appreciation.  Figure out their family dynamics, interests and dreams.  Know what is important to them and lift it up.

• Make It Public: The importance of praising someone publicly is to show them off and openly express your gratitude for their service.  You want to be careful not to embarrass someone; however, giving them public recognition will provide them with clout and swagger amongst their peers.  If anything it will boost their ego.

By pouring into your team, you give them the opportunity to feel your love and value.  But, the most important reason to thank and praise the people around you is because they are God’s children, giving of their time and energy to make sure that teens are being introduced to Christ.

How do you praise the people around you?