The ABCs of Saying Thanks

    Editor’s note: The following exerpt from a 1998 issue of Leadership for Student Activities magazine, contributed by Barb Lord, highlights the importance of character in students chosen to represent the
National Honor Society
The ABCs of Saying Thanks
    When I was young, a man by the name of Bob Keeshan was the Big Bird of my generation. And like Big Bird, Bob Keeshan — also known and loved as Captain Kangaroo — taught his captivated TV audience the power of two magic words: please and thank you. Forty-five years later I still believe these words possess magic.
    The first of these two we use almost automatically if we are aware of good manners. However, sometimes in the stress of today’s project-after-project-on-top-of-project pace, we sometimes forget the second of these magical elements. If you want to increase the willingness of those with whom you work to pitch in, help out, take on responsibilities, and carry them through, begin by concluding each and every activity with a thank you.
    As leaders, our goal should usually be to involve the others in our schools to become involved in activities and programs. If we are going to ask, “Please get involved, please help us out, please attend,“ then we must finish the magic formula with “Thanks for getting involved, thanks for helping out, thanks for attending!”
    The benefits of such a simple gesture are astounding. Including thanks allows the “worker” or “helper” to know that his work has not only been noticed, but has also been acknowledged. The shift in perception this awareness brings is subtle, but real. The next time a project or event is being planned, the people recruited to help will know that their efforts have been not only worthwhile, but also noticed, and they will be more willing to sign on, show up, and help out.
Simple as ABC
    Fortunately this can be done following some very simple steps-the ABCs of saying thanks.
• Accent the Achievement: As the guidelines below suggest, be specific about someone’s contribution and its effect on the project.
• Keep It Basic and Believable: Be certain that you mention honest accomplishment. A student knows when a project has had some rough spots; however, this does not mean that you cannot thank this person for getting beyond these challenges.
• Create It Cheaply: Most schools exist on shoe-string budgets, and cocurricular activities are no different. Therefore, we often feel that we have more time than money, so using inexpensive materials is a must.
• Do It Thoroughly: Keep a list of everyone who helped out in any way on a project. This includes the officers, chairpersons, members, helpers, administrators, teachers, janitors, cooks, bus drivers, parents, patrons, and business persons who may have contributed in some way to the success of your activity. Also, be sure to include those who attended the activity or purchased products, tickets, or whatever. Including everyone who helped can be accomplished in several simple ways. One of the easiest is simply to publicly thank people by publishing their names in a letter to the editor in the local paper. You can also use newsprint to make banners listing the names of those who helped or attended and hang the banners in public places at your school. Use several colored markers or crayons and randomly scatter the names or organize them in a more systematic manner. But remember, you are after a visual impact with an important statement.
    A variation of this is to ask attendees at an event to take a marker or crayon and sign the banner. Later you can letter in a heading thanking these people for their support and display this in the school. For those organizations with technology available, group expressions of thanks could be included on an electronic sign board or updated into a webpage. And finally, never overlook a blanket thank-you to all participants and workers on something like the daily announcements.