May 19^th is approaching fast and the Holiday Planning is ON!!  If you just stumbled on this page and want to know what it’s all about click up there above the Space Needle on where it says “How It All Started” and you’ll get all filled in. 

Basically I’ve been pretty low key lately because of the recent events in the Pacific Northwest and Haiti.  Didn’t seem right to promote what I’m trying to do during tough times for all.  But……. THANK YOU DAY needs to happen now more than ever so let’s do it!!!

Please, please click on “How It All Started” and re-familiarize yourself with what we are trying to pull off.  I’d love your ideas and I’ll figure out a way to post an ongoing list of them so we all can do ‘em too!   Yes, Thanking these amazing people IS a habit we need to all start ALL the time.  That is 100% my gut level intention.  But, getting the “holiday” off the ground is one of the ways to get it all started.

Brilliant ideas so far: 

Eagle Scout Project – Gold/Silver/Bronze Award – Going for an award within your scouting organization?  Plan something huge to thank these amazing people!  Pull it off and get your award!!

Got a spare $5 or $10 lying around?  Go to a local Starbucks (or other coffee shop) buy a gift card with it and leave it behind the counter to pay for any drinks men and women in uniform that come in and order.  Wouldn’t it surprise them if it was already paid for? 

Make May 19^th Free Pizza day!!!!  Arrange with a local pizzeria to serve anyone that comes in (preferably in uniform) and can prove they are employed by a local police department, fire department, emergency hospital, etc. they get the pizza they order for free! 

Then………. PROMOTE – PROMOTE – PROMOTE!!!!

How do you pay for that?  You might need to get creative but, here’s an idea;  while you are promoting the event, promote to all your friends to go down and buy a gift card (Starbucks idea expanded to leave behind the desk for this event.  The pizzeria may just discount the pizzas big time to cash in on the publicity they will be getting in the whole affair.

Any idea you have needs to be publicized to get everyone on board.  Local news stations are all up for this kind of thing.  The more people that know what is happening, the more that might come up with their own great ideas and start ‘em!!  I want this to EXPLODE across the US!!! 

Let’s go!

FYI – in the Bothell area of Washington State, Sparta’s Pizza will be giving everyone that shows up in uniform (or can prove employment) on May 19^th 2010 gets a free pizza!!

http://www.spartaspizza.com/

 Bothell
18817 Bothell Way NE
Bothell, WA

How BigTimeThanks Started

First- Let me introduce myself….

I’m a pushing 50 year old woman with two amazing daughters and an awesome husband.  As a team we are 100% on track to create amazing life happenings for all.

What is “Big Time Thanks” all about?

Well, you might have to stick around a while to get the whole story but, in a nut shell this is how it goes:   A little over a year ago (May 19th 2008 to be exact)  I was driving a friend of my daughters home.  As I was making a left turn across an intersection my van was T-boned by a young driver that came out of nowhere.  The only thing between me and the front end of his way cool Mustang going more than double the posted speed limit was a few pieces of metal called “the door of my van”.

After flipping over 3 times (up hill to say the least!) my van came to rest upside down and I ended up hanging from the now “ceiling” by my seat belt.  Obviously I was ready to make acquaintance with local paramedics in a bad way.   Thank God they came fast!!!

What I have learned since then was how creative they had to be with the fundamental laws of rescue to make sure I had the best chance of survival available.  Obviously the hospital that first had to figure out what to do with the mangled up mess of a body that arrived at their door was  most responsible for the fact that I get to talk to you all today.  BUT…..  If I didn’t get there the way that I did…  Well…. Case Closed.  Period.   (yes, my daughter’s friend made it out too and how her brother became involved and how HE totally started the whole “saved the day” process is a whole ‘nother blog post you’ll have to stick around for)

So, that’s the beginning of the story that made me decide to take on Thanking these Amazing people that dedicate a huge portion of their lives to saving/improving ours as MY PROJECT.

Sure, I’M thankful.  Duh, It’s obvious why I would be.  But, why make it something that all of you have to participate in?  I mean, heck, that’s their job.   We don’t thank the guy that picks up our trash…. he gets paid.  Obviously all the paramedics, firefighters, police officers, emergency room technicians, etc., etc. GET PAID.  Isn’t that enough?

Nope.  Not in my book.

Can you imagine living your life being constantly reminded of how difficult it is to live here?  Having to face death and destruction Daily?  Having to rise up out of the muck constantly just to make sure someone else doesn’t get swallowed up by it?  Wouldn’t hearing someone acknowledge the dedication it took to do the job they do bring a smile to their face?  Wouldn’t hearing appreciation sometimes make them more able to do their job?  Don’t we want them as ABLE and enthusiastic as we can get them?

That’s why Big Time Thanks is the name of my game now.  You are gonna get more later but here are the details for now:

May 19^th is the new official day to get everybody doing something awesome for these people.  2010 will be the first year.

Thank You’s should occur throughout the year but to get everyone on board we’ll get the “official day” rolling.

This blog is where we can share our ideas for what can be done on the “official” day yearly AND what can be done on any of the other days throughout the year that would be  just as  nice.

So there ya go!  Big Time Thanks Starts NOW!!!!

Boost Your Success By Thanking People

This is a Brilliant edition of a newsletter I subscribe to that popped into my inbox today:  (Excuse me? My Blog is about Thanking a particular group of people.  How cool is that?)

 

Boost Your Success By Thanking People

 “Approval and validation are often far more valuable than material rewards and are usually worked for far harder than mere pay.” — L. Ron Hubbard

In a Gallup Organization poll of 2,000 workers, 69% said praise and recognition from their bosses is more motivating than money. Four out of five workers said recognition or praise motivates them to do a better job. Despite this, most workers feel they are not properly recognized nor praised.

 

Studies by the US Army show soldiers improve their performance 90% of the time when praised and 30% of the time when criticized. But officers in the US Army still prefer to criticize and rarely praise anyone.

This principle proved itself once with a failing business that could not pay its staff. Instead of laying off employees or borrowing money to cover payroll, the new owner used validation and acknowledgement as “pay.”

Every staff member stayed on board without financial pay for nearly two months. The morale of the group was tremendous. The operation became profitable and the staff was rewarded with money.

Thanking employees is an effective management technique. Every manager and executive must know how to show appreciation to deserving staff members. Good acknowledgments encourage better behavior and increased production.

Workers can boost their success by properly thanking their bosses and coworkers. If your leader and teammates do better, you do better. For example, successful sports teammates are constantly approving and encouraging each other, the louder the better! Enthusiasm is contagious.

Thanking people in your family or your friends can also create interesting results.

You can thank people in many ways.

Eight Ways to Thank People

1. Verbally and directly thank the person. Stop the person, look them in the eye, get their full attention. “Pat, thanks for straightening out those files.”

2. Explain why you appreciate what the person did. Be specific. “I liked how you used the colored folders to make it easier for us to find files.” “I’m amazed how you got little Bill to calm down and clean up his room.” “Ever since you upgraded my computer, I get my work done much faster!”

3. Expand your compliment. “The way you organize everything really makes it nice to work around you.” “Ever since you came home, everyone in the family gets along better.” “If you help me with my computer in the future, I’ll get a raise!”

4. Give indirect praise. For example, compliment one person about another person. “Bob sure did a good job fixing my car!” “You know, Mary is one of the best friends I’ve ever had.” “I think our boss is a fantastic manager.”

5. Defend the person. “You said Chris is too much of a perfectionist, but no one can organize things like she does.” “If one of us was the boss, we’d have to be tough too.” “Maybe you should say that to his face and not behind his back.”

6. Ask for the person’s help, opinions or ideas. Asking for advice shows that you value the person’s intelligence. “Where is the best place to eat lunch?” “Could you give me your ideas about the parking problem?” “Any ideas of how I can earn more pay around here?”

7. Compliment their achievement. Become happy, even excited, about the person’s accomplishment. “This dinner is really fantastic!” “That fish tank has never looked cleaner!” “Mrs. Jones was very happy after you met with her.”

8. Physical contact. Hand shakes, shoulder pats and even hugs can communicate your appreciation quickly and effectively.

Give it a try and thank someone today!

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