I have not intentionally been here for a few months. I am in the process of updating my company website and plan to relaunch my brand with an updated blog. However, after getting news this week of a former colleague passing away I just felt I needed to share how I feel about the impact you and I have on others.

This post is a heartfelt thank you to everyone that is or has been a connection along my life’s journey. I’d like you to think about my message in the context of your actions at home or work, with friends, family or professional colleagues. I’d also like to hear your thoughts. Has someone made an impact on your life?

I realized once I received the call from the son of a former colleague telling me his dad had passed that I would not get the chance to share with him the impact he had on my life. We had become reacquainted over the past few years via LinkedIn; I was working with him and his sons on a new venture. The last time I spoke with him was months ago. Several times recently the past month he popped into my head.  I thought on several occasions, “I need to give him a call.” Then the next thought would pop in and I forgot that I should pick up the phone or drop him an email.

When I joined Ernst & Young in 1991, I eventually made it to Miami at the request of the Partner heading the healthcare consulting practice. I remember how excited he was that I was coming to visit the office and see Miami. You see they had never had a dedicated recruiting resource and after all you can’t sell a location to a potential candidate if you don’t have a clue as to what is there!  The partner set up various meetings for me to connect with the other healthcare consultants in his group and he even asked one of his trusted real estate advisers to show me various areas around the city where people that worked for us may want to reside. He thought of every detail.  He made me feel welcomed. He made me feel as if I was an important part of HIS team and that I mattered. It may seem like an insignificant event to you but it wasn’t to me.

I won’t get a chance to share with him how he made me “feel” during that trip and the impact he made on me.  But I can share with you a reminder that every day WE impact the lives of others. It’s not what we say to them, its how we say it and the intention behind the words; its the feeling.

When you interact with the dry cleaning employee, the bathroom attendant in the airport, or the check out person at your favorite grocery store, you have the ability to make them feel valued as a person or not. Look them in the eyes and say thank you. These are employees of other businesses just like your employees who interact and impact your customers every single day. Just like you have the ability to impact your employees, colleagues or team members; your employees have the ability to make your customers feel special and wanted or not. We ALL have the ability to make others we connect with daily feel special and important or not.

Remember, you are important and the people you connect with every day, are important.  Thank you for having an impact on my life.