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Gratitude

Being Grateful Makes You a Better Leader

Studies found that leaders who express appreciation are more influential, respected, and happier. In a Glassdoor survey, 81% of employees said they would work harder for a grateful boss. Best of all, positive recognition is contagious. And research shows that a simple thank you has the power to motivate prosocial behavior. 

Science: Grateful acts rewire brains and strengthen mind-body connections.

A Fear of Gratitude?

Some leaders have developed a point of view where gratitude is seen as a weakness that denies power. The perception that they’re too soft or they show too much gratitude; referred to as the “Goldilocks Dilemma.” Others worry about impostor syndrome (IS), a symptom that makes them feel fraudulent. Thus, being overly thankful plays into fears and insecurities that can hold back careers. But research shows us definite psychological advantages of workplace appreciation.

The solution, therefore, is to find the right balance. The rest of this piece explores the benefits of an appreciation plan and how to use it.

Before reviewing gratitude development for leaders, let’s look at the science.


The Science Behind Your Grateful Mind

A 2018 white paper entitled The Science of Gratitude is an in-depth report on the power of gratitude. There are four areas that most interest us here, namely:

  1. For the leader (individual benefits)
  2. For the group
  3. Positive effects on mental health
  4. Positive effects on physical health

But what benefit does each of those claims provide leaders and their organizations?


#1 Gratitude Makes Leaders More Effective

Researchers found that expressing gratitude boosts happiness and positivity. Grateful leaders are more satisfied at work and less likely to suffer from burnout. Making gratitude an extremely useful practice as almost half of all workers report feeling burnout most or all of the time. And those who continuously practice gratitude develop wisdom, patience, and humility.


#2 Effects on Groups

When a team feels appreciated, job satisfaction increases along with stronger workplace relationships. And when that happens, groups become more engaged, effective and exhibit prosocial behaviors. Around 93% of participants in an APA Survey said feeling valued motivates them to do their best.

But remember, only to give thanks where it’s due. Your best approach to being grateful is to exercise quality, not quantity.

“If you change the way you look at things, the thinks you look at change.” – Wayne Dyer

#3 Practicing Gratitude Affects Mental Health

The act of writing a simple gratitude list and counting one’s blessings improves optimism. You become more alert and awake and develop a positive mindset. Researchers found that grateful thinking also elevates mood. Plus, an appreciative mind eases the symptoms of conditions like depression and anxiety.


#4 Grateful Thinking Benefits Physical Health

Practicing an attitude of thankfulness has profound benefits on physical well-being. It helps lower blood pressure, enhances the immune system, and aids in better sleep. A 2016 study suggests that a grateful mindset may even reduce heart failure risks.


Grateful Minds Lead to Happiness

A happy workplace is a pleasant, more productive environment. But gratitude is not a product of happiness; the opposite is true, as well.


Proven Ways to Build Your Gratitude

Giving thanks—and meaning it—improves day-to-day morale in the workplace. And a content employee is more productive, which helps drive organizational success. The most influential managers are those who lead with indebtedness. For some leaders this is not a naturally-developed trait. But, like any other skill it can be grown and developed.

With a developed sense of genuine gratitude, you’re in a much better place to inspire your team. In fact, the best way to keep a grateful mindset is to share it with those around you.



Hold onto and Store Positive Experiences

The human brain finds it easier to latch onto and recall negative experiences. Likely, this function of our brains is to help us remember and learn from our mistakes, to avoid repeating them. Unfortunately that means our brains have a tendency to downplay the good things that happen to us, especially small positive experiences. 

The way to reverse this pattern is to be more mindful of positive happenings and to take them outside our minds. Keeping a gratitude list or journal is a simple yet highly effective tool for this purpose. Use it to write down life events you’re genuinely grateful for, before your mind compresses and minimizes them.

You can keep a daily journal if you like. However, many find that journaling two or three times a week is more beneficial. The point is to be intentional in recording your gratefulness, take your time and make it specific. 

A heartfelt thank you is the simplest yet most powerful means to convey genuine appreciation.

Be Specific

Try to zoom in on what you’re appreciative of and be specific. For example, it’s better to write “I’m grateful that my coworker gave me a ride to work while my car was in the shop” than “I’m grateful for my coworker.” Focus on depth over breadth as you compile your list. This exercise will be more meaningful with five detailed items over 20 superficial ones.

Get Personal

It’s okay to be grateful for things and occurrences, but focusing on people when building leadership gratitude is a more fruitful approach. For instance, rather than being thankful for meeting a strict deadline, be appreciative of the specific people on your team, their roles in making it happen, and who went above and beyond. Everyone has good points, so focus on those, and recognize their contribution and its effect on you.

Reflect

Reflection is an excellent way to strengthen a grateful mind. The idea here is to look at your list and consider what it would be like without that blessing. It’s a game of “what if,” where the actual outcome is better than the potential outcome.



Create a Workplace Culture of Gratitude

Leadership training is a continual process with no graduation. But, the more you practice gratefulness within your organization, the more natural it becomes in all areas of your life. And, the only way to feel grateful is to be grateful.

Use this sample 7-point checklist as your foundation:

  1. Remember to say thank you for a job well done
  2. Send hand-written thank you notes to show your appreciation
  3. Find ways to celebrate personal milestones
  4. Treat your team to a reward when they go the extra mile
  5. Present employee appreciation gift cards
  6. Listen more and welcome constructive feedback
  7. Organize periodic social events to bond and celebrate achievements

Add, subtract, and modify the list above to make it something that works for you and your team. And remember, thanks in moderation has more influence than thanking for the sake of it.

The Gold Standard Leadership Development

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