A while ago, I participated in a screening process to interview 8 candidates for a mid-level position. After the interviews, each candidate received my business card. I was surprised when I received a thank-you letter from only two of them, one of which was the least qualified.

I have been very fortunate in my career, to have been helped by people who happened to be in the right place at the right time for me. My narrow-misses could have been about almost anything, such as almost not making a job-related deadline but for some extra hands, being late for a very important meeting because someone covered for me, or avoiding a tragic event that made me feel absolutely grateful for a moment of grace that headed off a potential disaster that left me with me calm and safety, instead of tragedy.

These events and memories have become embedded in my psyche.  I felt grateful and I said thank you, to whomever and whatever in the most humble way I could.

Even the not-so-close calls require a show of appreciation and gratitude. Gestures of kindness usually generate a resounding thankfulness. A good-bye will stimulate a response of good-bye. A kiss will generate a kiss back. A handshake will generate the return of a handshake.

When did it become OK not to send a thank you note for a birthday or a wedding present? A an act of good neighborhood? A favor? Or a job interview? It makes me wonder if bravado is replacing the thank-you?

Wishing you CWW Career-Wise Ways,

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