Just Say Thank You Already

We are wildly underestimating the power of a thank you.

We move fast. We chase the next goal, the next gift, the next metric. And somewhere along the way, we skip right past one of the simplest, most human parts of the work:

Acknowledging people.

I have worked for several leaders over the years. Some I would follow again in a heartbeat.

And then there was one I used to refer to at home as “the robot.”

Every decision was rooted in data. He would ask a question, I would answer, and then he would just stare at me. Blankly. No reaction. No acknowledgment. No sign that anything had landed.

Data informed every decision.

But there was no connection.

And here is the thing: data informs decisions, but people drive results.

I see this same dynamic play out in fundraising all the time.

And for the nonprofit leaders in the room, you know this: everyone on staff is a fundraiser, whether you carry that title or not. You are shaping how people experience your organization every single day.

We focus on strategy, metrics, campaign goals. We build the plan, execute it, and report on it. But sometimes we forget the person on the other side of the gift.

Never underestimate the transformative power of gratitude.

Last week, my husband and I celebrated our wedding anniversary. We found ourselves reflecting on what makes our relationship work. His answer was simple: gratitude.

We both know what life is like with and without each other. And we are both clear that life is better together. We say it. We show it.

Penelope Burk (the fairy godmother of fundraising, buy her books Donor-Centered Fundraising and Donor-Centered Leadership and commit them both to memory) is best known for transforming how nonprofits think about donor relationships. Her research consistently shows that donors don’t give because of the organization. They give because of what the gift means to them. And if they don’t feel thanked, informed, and connected, they don’t stay.

It is not complicated.

Did you acknowledge the gift? Did you show them the impact? Did you make them feel like they matter?

Now replace “donor” with your team. Your board. Your volunteers.

Stewardship is not just follow-up. It is the work.

If you want people to stay engaged, keep giving, and go the extra mile, you do not start with more data. You start with connection.

A few simple practices go a long way:

Say thank you quickly. (Ideally, within 48 hours according to Penelope) A delayed thank you is a diluted one. Say it specifically. Name the impact, not just the action. Say it like a human. Drop the script. Mean it. Close the loop. Show people what happened because they showed up.

Every day, in small moments, we choose which kind of leader we are going to be.

Say thank you.

And then say it again.