No appreciation...

[Amanda]

Thanks for the replies. I just wanted to get that off my chest.
Another example is my recent flight to PHX. I was struggling to put my bag in the overhead and almost lost my balance. There were several younger men all around but the one person who came to my aid was another passenger that was no younger than 70.

All I can say is that when I have kids, I will do my very best to teach them manners and make sure they understand responsibility. Not everything will just be handed to them- they will need to work to earn rewards.

Today I received a few more thank yous from my team (still less than half), but that gives me hope!

[Kristie]

I did the same type of thing.. only instead of gift cards, i gave them a couple of chocolate bars from overseas (even kinder bars for the guys that have kids so they can put it in their stocking)... and believe it or not, i got all my thank-you's even from the folks i didn't think would thank me and i think it was because i handed it to them in person...

when you hand it to them, people have that tendancy to say "thanks". just a simple thanks is fine for me, i always reply back with "your very welcome".

I even got a gift card from my boss even after i gave him my card/chocolate...i thought that was nice even though i'd been part time for a while now.

I guess they expect me to bone up and work extra hard after the holidays...HAHA (KIDDING!).

Amanda, as you go through more xmas's as a "leader", you'll learn who you need to approach personally with a gift and who you can expect a thank you whether you leave it on their chair or give in person... it'll make it easier over time!

It was really nice of you to do something for them!

[Amanda]

Originally Posted by Kristie

I did the same type of thing.. only instead of gift cards, i gave them a couple of chocolate bars from overseas (even kinder bars for the guys that have kids so they can put it in their stocking)... and believe it or not, i got all my thank-you's even from the folks i didn't think would thank me and i think it was because i handed it to them in person...

when you hand it to them, people have that tendancy to say "thanks". just a simple thanks is fine for me, i always reply back with "your very welcome".

I even got a gift card from my boss even after i gave him my card/chocolate...i thought that was nice even though i'd been part time for a while now.

I guess they expect me to bone up and work extra hard after the holidays...HAHA (KIDDING!).

Amanda, as you go through more xmas's as a "leader", you'll learn who you need to approach personally with a gift and who you can expect a thank you whether you leave it on their chair or give in person... it'll make it easier over time!

It was really nice of you to do something for them!

I'm learning... slowly but I'm learning!
It was difficult to hand it to them in person. We're in a call center and most of the time they are stuck on phone calls!

[Bigsweetie]

My most vivid memory of thankless spoiled brats was when I was in college.

I was the student chapter president for our schools chapter of ASID (American Society of Interior Design). Anyway, I planned a weekend in Chicago to go to the Merchandise Mart, have one-on-one visits with vendors, a architectural walking tour, etc. etc. I spent HOURS of my own personal time organizing this trip, not to mention over $250 of my OWN money in phone calls and print outs (I printed out info on all the companies we were visiting so they could ask informed questions. They were printed in color and spiral bound.) We took the train into the city and had to drive to the train station bright and early in the morning. It was the cheapest way to go. The whole trip (aside from food) only cost each person $50!!!

So the morning of the trip we met at the school parking lot at about 5am. I had gotten up at 3am and made homemade blueberry muffins for everyone because I felt bad that they had to get up so early to drive to the train station.

All I got was ATTITUDE and complaining about how early it was, etc. etc. The entire trip all those snot nosed brats did was complain. Complain about having to wait for the train (it was chilly that morning), complaining about having to walk everywhere we went (it wasn't that far in all honesty), etc.

Needless to say, I was pissed!!

O.k.- my .02!

BTW- Kristie- did you get my PM thanking you for the baby stuff at NJC? I lost your home address otherwise I would have sent you a thank you card. In case you didn't get it... thank you!!!! On a side note, Emily stole the stuffed froggy (she couldn't help herself- she loves him!) LOL!

[spotty4]

I think, aside from the generational explanation, it all boils down to lack of knowledge of just how much work went into your efforts. No one can really know the half of it but you.

If you make it be known just how much time, energy, and effort went into the good deed, then its no longer perceived as a willing action of good will and fanfare.

Some people know good and well enough to be thankful whether or not they know what went into something. But still others will just gloss over things until its their turn to do the work.

I say just chalk it up to human nature in general. You can never please everyone equally all at the same time.

Amanda, glad we could help you get it off your chest ... and at least some of your employees have shown some gratitude! Be grateful for them.

[czechmate]

It's really sad.
My friend and I were just talking about this. How our kids get a trophy (at baseball, for example) for just showing up. Any kid could come to one game all season and still get a trophy. Why the huge pat on the back for simply signing up????? That's all the kids want --- it's not about teamwork or having fun, it's all about what are you going to give me????

I took my daugther to the movies the other day and we were there before the doors opened. (The movie started at 11:50 and we were waiting outside at 11:25.) Well, the teenage employee opened the door for himself and didn't hold it open for the senior citizen employee who was a couple of feet behind him!!! The older man turned to me and said, "Boy, this younger generation has absolutly no respect." I agreed and said "it's all about them." This poor man had to knock on the door until the same kid came and let him in. Pathetic.

In CVG you must take a shuttle bus to get to the Comair concourse --it's horrible. Well, I've been forced to carry my kid in my arms, plus carry-ons and keep tabs on my other kid. I've had to hang on for dear life and not fall over while some well-dressed business man, sitting in a seat, watched as I was slung around.

I've always taught my kids (especially my son) to open doors and offer his seat to a lady.
I can only hope he (and she) remembers it later on in their lives.

Jen

[ccbegay]

Originally Posted by czechmate

I took my daugther to the movies the other day and we were there before the doors opened. (The movie started at 11:50 and we were waiting outside at 11:25.) Well, the teenage employee opened the door for himself and didn't hold it open for the senior citizen employee who was a couple of feet behind him!!! The older man turned to me and said, "Boy, this younger generation has absolutly no respect." I agreed and said "it's all about them." This poor man had to knock on the door until the same kid came and let him in. Pathetic.

In CVG you must take a shuttle bus to get to the Comair concourse --it's horrible. Well, I've been forced to carry my kid in my arms, plus carry-ons and keep tabs on my other kid. I've had to hang on for dear life and not fall over while some well-dressed business man, sitting in a seat, watched as I was slung around.

I've always taught my kids (especially my son) to open doors and offer his seat to a lady.
I can only hope he (and she) remembers it later on in their lives.

Jen

on a note, we were in Chili's the other day, family came in mom was holding sleeping son and it was pretty packed...my sis and I were waiting for about 20 minutes and we were able to get setas, but when this family came in, the guy next to me, about the same age, just sat there and texted on his phone, I stood up and offered the woman my seat, the guys responce, "Oh, my bad.." he laughed and he still just sat there...to me it is just disappointing, because those few chivarlous(?) guys out there that really do make a differnce our being outshone by disrespectful peers...

just pay it forward...

[czechmate]

Originally Posted by ccbegay

on a note, we were in Chili's the other day, family came in mom was holding sleeping son and it was pretty packed...my sis and I were waiting for about 20 minutes and we were able to get setas, but when this family came in, the guy next to me, about the same age, just sat there and texted on his phone, I stood up and offered the woman my seat, the guys responce, "Oh, my bad.." he laughed and he still just sat there...to me it is just disappointing, because those few chivarlous(?) guys out there that really do make a differnce our being outshone by disrespectful peers...

just pay it forward...

so true!!!

Jen

[Amanda]

I don't want to go onany tangents, but I guess that's one of the things I love most about Nick. He always goes out of his way to assist others and treats everyone with respect. He says it's just common courtesy and 'nothing special', but I think it is VERY special. He's the first guy that will offer up his seat or help a person with lifting luggage. It's sad that this attitude hasn't carried over to the younger generation.