5 Ways to Thank Your Boss

It’s National Boss’s Day — a perfect time to celebrate your company leaders’ hard work and dedication!
Good bosses don’t have many role models in pop culture. Bad bosses get all the attention — who can forget dictatorial Miranda Priestly in The Devil Wears Prada, boorish micromanager Bill Lumbergh in Office Space, or megalomanic Michael Scott in The Office?
Good bosses are harder to find in movies and on TV, but they do exist and they are inspiring. For comedy, look to Liz Lemon in 30 Rock and Leslie Knope in Parks and Recreation. For drama, a great example is Saving Private Ryan‘s Captain John H. Miller (Tom Hanks), who inspired and carried his close-knit unit through Normandy and war-torn France to find Private James Ryan.
These are the bosses who care about the people they manage, who lead for company excellence rather than personal gain, and who stay positive and solution-focused when times get tough.

The best bosses don’t seek praise: They deserve it.

The best bosses in your workplace are likely very self-aware, open to feedback, appreciative of others, and focused on the greater good. An Arizona State University study earlier this year found that the strongest, most effective bosses are humble.

Contrary to popular belief, humble people are not weak. In an interview with USA Today, business professor Angelo Kinicki confirmed that, “Humble people are quieter, more in the background, but they lead in a different way, by empowering their employees, which trickles down.”
Great leadership takes perseverance, patience, and vision, and often goes unappreciated. Great leaders’ behind-the-scenes work goes unnoticed especially when employees feel self-conscious about saying “thank you.” Some worry their expression of gratitude for an employer’s hard work will be misinterpreted as brown-nosing.
But there’s a difference between brown-nosing — which is self-interested and insincere — and a heartfelt “thank you” conveyed in a meaningful way. A sincere expression of gratitude will mean a lot to your boss and help foster an overall culture of appreciation.

Saying “thank you”: How to celebrate national boss’s day.

Here are five ideas for saying “thank you” to the under-appreciated supervisors in your workplace on National Boss’s Day.
1. Take your boss out to eat.
Treat your boss to a meal out with coworkers. Designate one person to write a nice toast — or, if your group is small enough, go around at the table and share one reason why you’re grateful for your boss.

At least two eateries nationwide are celebrating National Boss’s Day by offering specials — On The Border is giving everyone a free appetizer or dessert, and Fazoli’s is holding a “Best Boss Bash” contest (deadline: Oct. 24) and giving free lunch to any boss who comes in with four or more employees on Oct. 16.
2. Give a bouquet of flowers.
A bouquet (or better yet, a potted plant that thrives indoors) is a great way to freshen up your workplace and brighten your boss’s day.
3. Be boss for a day.
No, we’re not advocating that you usurp your boss and take over! But, to ease your boss’s load, offer to do some small task that would typically be his or her responsibility. For example, you could orchestrate a minor repair project or upgrade office decor. Look for chores that may not be high on your boss’s to-do list but will make his or her life easier and make the workplace better for everyone.
4. Write a thank-you note.
In this era of emails, Facebook updates and tweets, a handwritten letter can seem about as old-fashioned as a rotary phone. But there’s something about a pen-and-paper note that’ll never go out of style: it takes time and thought. A short thank-you note takes more effort than dashing off an email.
A handwritten card is also a meaningful keepsake that can be pinned up in a cubicle or displayed on a desk.
Keep your thank-you note short and specific. Avoid platitudes; instead, write to your boss about a specific instance when you were grateful for their actions or presence.
5. Share a small gift.
Share a small gift that honors your boss’s busy schedule and need for flexibility and convenience, like a gThankYou! Certificate of Gratitude. Our grocery store gift certificates are redeemable at the recipient’s convenience — at the store of their choice, at the time that works for them and for the products they want. Besides our popular gift certificates for Turkey, Ham or Turkey or Ham, we also offer affordable options for fruits and veggies, pizza, pie, ice cream and candy.
For an in-depth guide to building a more grateful and happy workplace culture, download our FREE eBook,  “Transforming Your Workplace with Gratitude.” You’ll be amazed at how easy it is!