The Benefits of Recognition

Written by Andrea H. Reay, President/CEO of the Seattle Southside Chamber of Commerce

Saying “Thank You” matters. Whether in your personal life or in the workplace, showing gratitude promotes kindness, which is something that we can all use a little more of. A 2015 NBC Survey found that “most Americans would rather have a kind boss than a 10% raise,” illustrating that the majority believes that kindness is worth more than money.

The problem is that, as human beings, we are much more likely to complain about a negative experience than we are to show gratitude for a positive one. We’ve all seen those bumper stickers on the backs of trucks that say, “How’s my driving?” How many people do you think call that number to compliment a driver? Not many.

During a recent trip to Colorado to visit family, my family and I found ourselves in bumper to bumper traffic. Not familiar with the roads, we were probably a little late in our efforts to merge over when we needed to get over a lane to take an exit. A large semi was next to us. I motioned we needed to get over. He slowed down to let us merge in front of him. It was a simple kindness, but much appreciated. I called that number on the back of his truck. I thought I would just receive a recording, but someone answered the phone. When I explained how I appreciated the driver, the person answering the phone thought I was a prank call and hung up on me—twice. I had to call back three times before he acknowledged that no one had ever called to thank a driver before. Imagine a world where we expressed our gratitude as much, if not more, than our outrage.

As an organization, we at the Seattle Southside Chamber of Commerce value and promote gratitude. We know how valuable it is to recognize and thank all the amazing individuals and businesses who consistently go above and beyond to help make our Chamber and our community strong and vibrant. It’s why we strive to expand the collaborative culture in our region because we know the benefits of working alongside one another.

This article was written by Andrea H. Reay is the President/CEO of Seattle Southside Chamber of Commerce, “A voice for business, a leader in the community”. Seattle Southside Chamber has served the communities of Burien, Des Moines, Normandy Park, SeaTac, and Tukwila since 1988. For more information about the Chamber, including a full list of member benefits and resources, please visit their website at www.SeattleSouthsideChamber.com

Parts of this blog article were originally published on the Seattle Southside Chamber of Commerce Blog in February of 2018 and has been edited for conciseness and clarity. Source: https://www.seattlesouthsidechamber.com/blog/andrea-s-blog-4830/post/the-benefits-of-recognition-17194