Thanks … and giving

Especially at this time of year, especially after an action-packed  Healthcare Internet Conference, especially as I am about to travel across the country …  and deal with too many people at airports, too many cars rushing to family and too many people racing to the best deal at their favorite stores, I wonder if we slow down enough to think about thanks ... and giving. Through our recent gathering of so many healthcare colleagues, we have enjoyed sharing experiences, successes and challenges. But, I wonder after we all head back to our own offices, if we remember to appreciate all of those wonderful professional connections on a day-to-day basis. Those mentors, project managers, IT folks, administrative assistants, co-workers and anyone else that helps you through your workday. Saying thank you can be such a powerful tool. One that can quickly turnaround an attitude and change someone’s entire outlook going forward. Not only during this holiday, but on ordinary days, we should all try saying thank you more deliberately and see how many attitudes you can change. And then giving … I’ll bet you have reached out to provide encouragement to someone struggling with a challenge at work. We’ve all taken a rough path from time to time and appreciate someone talking us through the pitfalls. Being a mentor doesn’t require an official program guide, but simply listening and working on possible solutions together. I am grateful to those that have helped me along the way. There are many. People who provided guidance, made me laugh when I wanted to cry, let me vent and showed me smarter, easier and better ways to work and live. For each one of you, I am thankful. And grateful. On our days beyond this Thanksgiving holiday, I hope we’ll continue all our conversations with both a spirit of thanks … and giving.