I met a much wiser friend for coffee a few weeks ago and noticed something small that has stuck with me. Every time we received something from the staff at the coffee shop, he would stop, turn to them and say – “Thank you *so* much.”
I wondered why that moment stuck with me for a few weeks until I finally realized the difference. While I made it a point to say thank you, I would often be looking elsewhere or just interrupting my conversation for a brief moment. He, on the other hand, made sure he said “thank you so much” (with that all important emphasis on “so”) by giving the person he was thanking his full attention.
People always talk about charisma being an “X” factor – one they’re unable to define or teach. I think of charisma as the ability to make others feel special – even if you meet them for small amounts of time. And, giving them your full attention is the best way to do that.
Attention is a magical thing – it can transform simple messages into warm, inspiring and heartfelt ones. I am going to work on my thank you’s…
A Learning a Day 