Leadership implodes on itself apart from gratitude.
Richness of life is contingent on gratitude.
Behavior not feeling:
Think of gratitude as a behavior not a feeling. Never allow your problems to prevent you from saying thank you to others.
Behave your way into gratitude, start saying thank you, today.
Gratitude:
- Expands energy.
- Expresses respect.
- Elevates confidence.
Gratitude lifts leadership out of the mud.
Gratitude says:
- I see you.
- You matter.
- You belong.
- I respect what you do.
- You contributed to success.
Gratitude enobles both recipient and giver.
Gratitude answers:
- Conceit. The narrowness of conceit is broken with gratitude.
- Anxiety. The dread of anxiety is weakened with gratitude.
- Anger. The heat of anger is cooled with gratitude.
- Resentment. The self-destruction of resentment is lifted with gratitude.
- Discontent. The darkness of discontent is brightened with gratitude.
- Stress. The tension of stress is lessened with gratitude.
- Self-importance.The weight of self-importance is lightened with gratitude.
A young leader asked how to talk about his accomplishments without seeming arrogant. I said, “Be thankful for the opportunity to serve and all those who made success possible. If you succeeded on your own, it’s not worth talking about”
Serious about gratitude:
- Schedule gratitude or busyness will push it out. List teammates on a gratitude calendar, for example.
- Begin your day by expressing gratitude to three people, then get to work. Pick up the phone or walk down the hall.
- Copy your boss, on gratitude emails.
- End your day with an act of gratitude, then go home.
Everyone of your direct reports should hear a specific thank you – from you – at least once a week.
The act of gratitude:
- Establish eye contact.
- Include appropriate touch.
- Name a behavior that produces results.
- Say the words, “Thank you.”
- Make it personal, “I appreciate you.”
How has gratitude, or the lack of it, impacted your leadership?