When I was working from home one day, my colleague called to ask a quick question. It was an interruption, but it didn’t break my flow.
But then, she did something that made me stop and think. Instead of saying ‘sorry for the interruption’, like I would have, she said, ‘thank you for letting me interrupt’.
The switch from ‘sorry’ to ‘thank you’ is subtle, but important. Instead of regret, we choose gratitude and connection.
From ‘sorry to keep you waiting’ to ‘thank you for waiting’.
From ‘sorry about the trouble’ to ‘thank you for your help’.
From ‘sorry for the inconvenience’ to ‘thank you for your understanding’.
We often say sorry for the lack of a better alternative. In several situations, ‘thank you’ is that better alternative.
Read also: Seth Godin’s blogpost on the topic
Observations 