Why You Should Thank Your Team on a Tuesday

Sometimes it's the small tweaks that really make a massive difference to your team but when is the best time to thank them?

You don’t have to bake cakes to say thank you but it helps!

As a leader, showing gratitude to your team is a no-brainer.

They need you to set a clear objective, course-correct along the way, and - if all goes to plan - say “well done” at the end.

But when is the best time to do that?

The obvious answer: straight after the job’s done.

Leave it a week or two and it feels like you just remembered in the shower to thank Dave for that incredible presentation he did (that everyone’s now forgotten about).

So yes, first answer: do it now.

But the better, more nuanced answer? Especially for those quieter, morale-boosting messages - not the “gather in the kitchen and high-five” project wrap-ups (ever done one of those? No, me neither)...

The answer is: Tuesday.
Yup. A stale, unremarkable Tuesday morning.

Let me explain:

• Friday? Too late. You’re relieved it’s the weekend, and your message reads like a sigh of relief rather than genuine appreciation. They’re already mentally checked out, and by Monday it’s long forgotten.

• Thursday? Everyone’s scrambling to salvage the week. That email from you? It’s a distraction, not a boost.

• Wednesday? Same as Thursday. If they need encouragement by Wednesday, they probably needed it on Tuesday too.

• Monday? Absolutely not. Everyone’s fragile. You’ve forgotten what happened last week. They’ve forgotten what happened last week. You risk thanking Cathy for a presentation Jenny gave. Ouch.

So that leaves Tuesday.

It’s unexpected. Uncluttered. Just early enough to influence the week ahead.
A quick thank-you on a Tuesday lands well - and sticks. It lifts the team. It resets the tone.
And if we’re being honest, it builds a bit of goodwill you might just need come Thursday.

Try it:

• Every Tuesday morning, thank one person.

• Make it genuine. Keep it short.
  Show you noticed.

• (And no emojis. We’re better than that.)

So, over to you.

Who are you going to thank this Tuesday?

How do you thank your team?