Thank You Big and Wide

When I was in high school, I worked as a busboy at a neighborhood restaurant. One of the servers, Dolly, had a fun way of expressing gratitude. Instead of saying, “Thank you very much,” she’d say, “Thank you very large.”

That phrase stuck with me. It was playful, charming, and somehow made the gratitude feel… bigger.

Today, I was reminded of Dolly when I looked up the definition of the Hawaiian word mahalo, which means “thank you.” One version of the word translates to something like “thank you big and wide.” I loved that — the idea that you can not only feel gratitude, but express just how big that gratitude is.

It’s one of life’s simple joys: to feel deep appreciation for someone — and to find unique, heartfelt ways to say it.

And this kind of expression isn’t just nice — it’s powerful. In leadership, the way you say thank you can affect morale, engagement, and your team’s overall sense of being seen and valued.

How Leaders Can Apply This

Want to express gratitude more effectively — and make it count? Try these strategies:

• Be Specific and Memorable
  Instead of a generic “Thanks for your help,” try something like, “Thank you very large for staying late to fix that client issue — it made a huge difference.” Specific words stick longer and feel more personal.
• Scale Your Thanks to Match the Impact
  Match the size of your gratitude to the size of the contribution. For bigger efforts, express appreciation in a bigger way — a handwritten note, a public thank-you, or a small gesture of recognition.
• Make Gratitude a Leadership Habit
  Set a weekly reminder to thank at least one person meaningfully. Consistent, genuine appreciation builds trust and a culture where people feel motivated to give their best.