Gratitude for Leaders: How to Win the Gratitude Battle

“When I started counting my blessings, my whole life turned around.” Willie Nelson

Ungrateful people are:

1. Easily discouraged. Ingratitude creates constant disappointment. “What’s the use.”
2. Resentful of the benefits or advantages others enjoy. Unthankfulness doesn’t enjoy the success of others.
3. Entitled. Ungratefulness hates seeing others advantaged but expects advantage for itself.
4. Self-obsessed. Ingratitude has little room for others because the world revolves around its own troubles, disappointments, and resentments.
5. Thin skinned.
6. Clinging to past offenses. Ungratefulness is still talking about the offenses of 1999.
7. Fault finding and demanding. Nothing’s ever good enough for an ingrate.

Why choose ungratefulness:

You might say you’re unthankful because life is miserable.

Doesn’t it seem stupid to multiply misery by topping it off with a bitter dollop of ingratitude.

Gratitude for leaders:

Grateful leaders notice and acknowledge benefit or advantage.

1. Leadership is about noticing. Ungrateful leaders have discouraged teams.
2. Gratitude requires expression. Unexpressed gratitude is ungratefulness.
3. Thankfulness appreciates benefit or advantage. Imagine walking around noticing the good stuff.

The above definition is harvested from the following sources.

1. Appreciative of benefits received.
2. Warmly or deeply appreciative of benefits received.
3. Feeling or showing an appreciation of kindness.
4. Showing or expressing thanks, especially to another person.

12 benefits of gratitude:

If you can’t choose gratitude because it benefits others, choose it for yourself.

1. Less stress.
2. Resilience.
3. Less envy.
4. Contentment.
5. Optimism.
6. Deeper relationships. Who enjoys friendship with an ingrate?
7. Improved sleep.
8. Better physical health.
9. Longevity.
10. Increased productivity.
11. Improved decision making.
12. Higher energy.

Two gratitude practices anyone can achieve:

#1. Record one thing you’re grateful for every morning during the month of November. Aim low so you can be thankful for success.

Tip: Place a small notepad on the corner of your desk as a gratitude trigger.

#2. Everyday ask people what they are grateful for. (Begin meetings by asking the gratitude question.)

What are some dangers of ingratitude?

What are some benefits of gratitude?