Saying “thank you” is the ultimate win/win. Research shows that expressing gratitude increases feelings of personal well being.

If you are looking for someone to practice your “thank you’s” on, start close to home.  John Gottman, Executive Director of the Relationship Research Institute of Seattle says: “Masters of relationships have a habit of scanning the world for things they can thank their partner for.  People whose relationships go down the tubes scan the world for their partner’s mistakes.”

Please share your thoughts with us! What happened when you upped the level of thanks you expressed to people around you? Share your responses to the weekly discussion question on our forum: Community of Practice Forum

        What are some of the most off-putting email subject lines?   BBC News Hour commentator Lucy Kelloway                 says they include: “Please Read,” “Request,” and “Reminder.”  She also ignores “Dear Colleague,” asking                     why she’d bother to read something clearly sent to all employees, which she would doubtless find out                     about anyway.

Kelloway insisted she would be quite likely to open an email entitled “orange chocolate biscuits.”  Okay, sure. But we all know this kind of ruse will backfire unless orange chocolate biscuits are actually in the offing.

Assuming no desserts are involved, the best subject line, she concluded, was one that conveyed the entire message—so that opening the email wasn’t even necessary.  And brevity is the soul of any effective email.

Please let us know:  How do you get people at work to open your emails? Share your responses to this weekly discussion question here.

The current news story about bullying incidents in the Miami Dolphins franchise has taken some extraordinary turns. At first there was disbelief, even derision, surrounding the notion that that one burly pro football player could be bullied by another. “Why not just ‘man up’ and have it out?” much of the talk went. But as details emerged, the scope of the problem began to dawn.  While there is surely much we do not know about this situation, there is one thing we do know.  Professional football constitutes a workplace, and no one should be harassed or “bullied’ in any workplace.  

        Statistics vary, but some studies reveal that nearly half of all American workers have been affected by                     workplace abuse, either as a target of such behavior—from yelling, threats, and rumors to manipulative                 techniques such as isolation and sabotage of work performance—or as witnesses to abuse aimed at a                     co-worker.

        It’s not clear if bullying is actually on the rise or if more people feel free to discuss it now that the                             phenomenon   has come to light.  We are relieved that these practices have emerged from the shadows so             that those who are  vulnerable will feel freer to express themselves.

Please let us hear from you:  Have you been bullied or witnessed bullying in the workplace?  What did you do in response? Share your responses to this weekly discussion question here.  

No one likes being taken for granted, at home or on the job. According to a recent Wall Street Journal article, overwhelming numbers of employees are feeling mistreated on the job by their own co-workers. Consider how far the power of gratitude can go toward reversing lingering resentments.

    Recognize, praise, and reinforce people you appreciate.  Tell them how what they did made a difference.                  Remember that unexpressed gratitude is the same as ingratitude.

Please let us know:  Think about a recent time you shared your appreciation for someone you work with. How did he or she respond? How does giving appreciation at work change the workplace environment? Share your responses to this weekly discussion question here.