3 Reasons to be a Grateful Leader

Leadership and gratitude. Is it a delightful combination like chocolate and peanut butter?

Let’s face it, gratitude has practically become a cliché.

We have legions of Hallmark cards, holidays, and now marketers jumping on the bandwagon at certain times of the year to remind us to be grateful. (Oh yes, and be grateful for the Black Friday sales we can take advantage of.)

Gratitude is defined as “the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness.” The practice of gratitude is something that is so helpful in getting in touch with the present moment. Taking stock and appreciating what is working is a quick way to step out the mental swirl of future catastrophizing or mourning the “good old days” when life was simpler.

But why should a busy leader want to add a gratitude practice to their already long list of responsibilities and challenges? Aren’t they already so busy just getting the work done and keeping the team motivated that we shouldn’t put one more expectation on them? I think we should and here are 3 reasons why.

#1 – Dial up Hope

Robert Emmons, author of Gratitude Works, says that “In the face of despair, gratitude has the power to bring hope. Gratitude can help us cope with hard times.”

The Adaptability Quotient is an assessment tool I use to help organizations and teams understand how they respond to stress and change. Hope is one of the most powerful of the 15 dimensions that are measured in the assessment. Hope is positively correlated with many other dimensions needed to build adaptive capacity, in particular resilience, mindset and grit. Research shows that hope is a powerful accelerant for how people adapt and navigate change and stress.

Gratitude is a tangible way to give people hope – that they matter, that they are seen and respected, that working together we can get through this challenge. As Emons says, “Consciously cultivating an attitude of gratitude builds up a sort of psychological immune system that can cushion us when we fall. There is scientific evidence that grateful people are more resilient to stress, whether minor everyday hassles or major personal upheavals. “

#2 – Build Trust and Connection

There is a wellbeing crisis happening in the workplace. The World Health Organization estimates that depression and anxiety cost the global economy $1 trillion in lost productivity every year. Beyond that figure is the human cost of mental and emotional challenges taken on the individual employee, their family and community.

Expressing appreciation in the workplace helps build trust, connection and psychological safety. Gratitude is a way leaders can have a positive impact on their employees. According to Adrian Gostick and Chester Elton, authors of Leading with Gratitude, “Workers want and need to know their work is appreciated. Showing gratitude to employees is the easiest, fastest, and most inexpensive way to boost performance.”

#3 – Find Personal Perspective

The first person we need to lead is ourselves. Taking a moment to reflect and articulate what you’re grateful for can be a great personal practice for a leader. It keeps you in the present moment, better able to notice and appreciate what’s working and observe what might not be working the way you want. Gratitude can lift you up out of the trenches when you find yourself in a moment of stress or battling multiple demands and instead give you more of a bird’s eye view of where you are. Whether it’s writing down 3 things you’re grateful for at the end of the day, or giving a heartfelt appreciation to another (or to yourself in the mirror), finding ways to create a pause in our busyness and connect to one’s humanity is like watering a plant in the desert.

Gratitude is a doorway to feeling greater levels of hope, optimism and connection. Living and leading with gratitude opens you up to find and appreciate the unique ways you’re here to make a difference in the world.

If you’d like support with leadership within your organization or team, let’s connect to explore whether the Adaptive Advantage (™) program or Level Up Leadership executive coaching program can help!