By Phil Harwood 

Would you like to deliver a more impactful message this Thanksgiving? If so, consider taking two minutes to read this blog post and consider utilizing the three keys for delivering your message of gratitude. By doing so, your message may be more impactful than ever before. 

Key #1: 

Prepare the message by getting out your journal, notepad, or laptop. Close the door, silence your phone, and think. Think about those who are closest to you. Now think of one specific person. Write or type their name. What is it about this person that you’re most thankful for? What do you appreciate about them? This is not a performance evaluation, so don’t try to rate their performance over the past 12 months on a 5-point scale. Think more generally about the totality of your relationship with this person over the long haul. 

Your message should be a heart-felt, authentic, and thoughtful one about something meaningful. No pressure. But seriously, you surely don’t want the message to be shallow, fake, or off-the-cuff. You need to put some effort into it if you want to make your message truly impactful.  

Key #2:

Prepare the person by finding or creating the right time and place to deliver the message. You know this person well so you know what this looks like. But it may take some coordination or planning. This is an opportunity to be creative, but it doesn’t need to be a production. This could be as simple as creating a quiet, uninterrupted space for a few minutes. 

How a message is delivered is just as important as the substance of the message. That is why this is one of the keys for delivering a more impactful message. We often never think about this aspect because we’re too busy to stop and consider it. This year will be different. 

Key #3:

Deliver the message in your own special way. Only you know how to deliver this message. After all, the relationship you have with this person is unique. So think about how you want to sound and act, and what emotions you want to convey. 

Should you rehearse? Maybe. That’s your call. You want to be prepared. If rehearsing will help you be prepared, go for it. We can sometimes get tongue-tied when we’re trying to get the right words out. Having said them repeatedly really does help the words flow more naturally. 

Finally, I want to thank you for being part of our community. The GrowTheBench community continues to grow and we are very grateful to have been a part of your lives this past year. 

Happy Thanksgiving 
 

PS - If you're thankful for Team Engine and Neal Glatt, like I am, for creating a FREE course on recruiting, be sure to recommend it to a friend. Or check it out if you haven't done so yet.