Words have power, and today I'd like to share with you two words that have the power to change lives.

The two words I'm talking about are 'Thank You'

In today's hectic society very few people take the time to stop and say thank-you which is unfortunate because as Mother Teresa so eloquently put it …

“There is more hunger for love and appreciation in this world than for bread”

- Mother Teresa

Here is a true story that demonstrates the power of these two little words.

One day I went into the bank to deposit a cheque. There was a long queue and as time ticked by the people in the queue became more and more annoyed.

For some reason, there was only one counter available but despite the negative energy of the customers, the young woman behind the counter was doing a fantastic job. I watched as she greeted each customer with a genuine smile and then processed their transactions quickly and efficiently.

When it was my turn, I took note of the name on her badge and thanked her for her help. I then went to the information desk and asked for a customer feedback form.

On the feedback form I wrote something along the lines of: "Today I received exceptional customer service from Michelle Hall at the QLD City branch. Michelle was friendly, efficient and very professional. I commend her on her work ethic and I believe she is a valuable asset to your company. Yours Sincerely, Anthony Fernando"

A few weeks later I returned to the bank and Michelle served me once again. As she processed my transaction, she stopped, took a second look at my name and then with a huge smile told me that her manager had read out my customer feedback comments at her recent performance review and that she'd received a promotion.

I was delighted to hear that my comments played a small part in her success.

Taking the time to recognize excellence and say thank-you is a truly win-win exercise.

The person you say thank-you to feels appreciated and at the same time, you receive a burst of positive energy from helping someone feel good about themselves and what they do.

Action Steps

If you notice someone doing a great job, take the time to recognize their efforts and say thank-you. Here are a couple of ideas that can really make a big impact in the life of others and at the same time will make you feel terrific.

(1) Take five minutes to fill out a customer feedback form whenever you receive exceptional service.

(2) Send a thank-you email to someone who has helped you at work

(3) Send an email to someone just to let them know that they are doing a great job and send a carbon copy (CC) of the email to that person's manager or boss.

Remember, little things make a big difference and the words 'Thank-you' can truly change lives.