Thank you is one of the greatest things to say.
I love coaching football and I want to say thank you to the men and women who have fought to allow me to do what I love, the first responders keeping us safe daily, and of course the people I work with each day.
Say Thank You, Express Appreciation
Why is it hard for some people to say thank you? Words of appreciation seem to be hard for some people to say to others.
When people do not hear appreciation, they begin to wonder how they are perceived. I believe it is important to let the people around us know we appreciate them. Society, many times, views these words as weakness.
It takes a bigger person to say thank you, express genuine appreciation, than it does to speak negatively. Even when ugly words are thrown at you, can you stay positive?
I watch Andy Griffith almost every night as I go to bed and I have almost every episode memorized. One of my favorite lines by Andy was when old Ben was being hateful. Andy told those in the courthouse Ben was going to be nasty away someday because of his negativity.
We cannot afford to let ourselves act harshly because that kind of attitude will nasty us away.
Working Through the Struggle
The growth and improvement of athletic teams change each year. There are struggles. Struggles in training and growing players are a constant. Not all participants who begin the season will finish.
However, the ones who stick with the training and daily grind will be better for their efforts. Let us make sure as coaches and leaders we tell these players we appreciate them, not just their wins but for their positive attitudes.
Contrary to the worldly view of winning and losing, the final score on the scoreboard does not communicate appreciation. A win will make a player, coach, and fans feel better, but it does not cover appreciation.
If appreciation has this kind of impact on people, then you can imagine what people feel like when they experience a difficult time.
Show Respect for Those Around Us
I knew an athletic director in an East Texas school district that asked students who the athletic janitor was at the high school, and they did not know. Then he asked them what the title was of the actual person who served as the athletic custodian and the students said they thought he was an assistant athletic director.
This person dressed well spoke to the children in a positive and authoritative manner and was professional in actions. The real athletic director would hold this person up in high esteem.
The Lesson
The lesson is obvious: as leaders when we show respect to all those around us, regardless of their job titles, people react accordingly. All jobs and people deserve our appreciation.
We need to remember all those people who are around us daily. Tell people we appreciate them. We are all not called to be starters on the team or the president of the organization.
The fact is we are called to do jobs that reflect our skills and talent. Do our best daily and be appreciative of everybody’s work and talent.
Thought for the week, “The brook would lose its song if you removed the rocks.” Dr. Doyle Welch
Dr. Jack Welch is a college football coach and has been in public school and collegiate education for 40 years. He is the author of Foundations of Coaching (2020) and can be reached at [email protected].
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