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Blog entry
07/10/2009,  Friday, 21:53, Meike, Enger, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany

Communication tip:

“Thank you”
Just for the statistics:
Would it really hurt that much...?!

We have gone for a walk - along the scenic route at the sewage works.

And from time to time we stopped and stepped aside - sometimes into the grass or some bushes - to let cyclist pass by. After a while I started counting them and got to more than 30 altogether plus a few uncounted from the beginning.

And now: How many “Thank you!” did we hear? What do you think?

2! Two!

2 out of more than 30!

Really - I couldn’t believe it! Not even a nonverbal “Thanks!” like a smile or a friendly nod. Nothing! And one of the two was even forced by giving her ‘the look’! And, no, it has not happened just around the sewage works...

Would it really hurt that much to say “Thank you” from time to time?!
And I don’t mean the big, meaningful acknowledgements which can be said or not after you contemplated the special circumstances.
I just mean these little “I have noticed that you did that for me and I appreciate it!”.

I think it doesn’t have to be said each and every time - but 2 out of 30...?! I could live very good with maybe 10 “Thank you”s and additional 10 nonverbal thanks and the rest maybe had a hard bicycle saddle or something like that.

I bet if you would do the same in Canada there would be at least 20 “Thank you”s, 25 smiles (some including a “Thank you”) and at least one or two would stop and start telling you what a wonderful day, path or hat this would be.
And I agree, it is a beautiful hat indeed.

“Life is peaceful there”¯ by Meike Duch

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