Thoughts on Thanksgiving

If you are reading Remarkable Results for the first time, please subscribe here to receive each weekly issue.  If you like what you read, please share it with others and invite them to subscribe.

It’s Thanksgiving week here in the U.S. In other words, it’s the week where traditions are honored, and thanks are given.

As much as I love turkey (I prefer mine smoked, thank you) and pumpkin pie, the gratitude – or giving thanks part – of the holiday is by far the best part.

But there is a problem.

For many, the thanks stop flowing before the turkey leftovers are finished.

My wish is that Thanksgiving wouldn’t be a day to remember to give thanks, but a day to rev up our gratitude routine to higher levels.

I know many are experiencing trouble and challenges, and perhaps are missing loved ones with whom their traditions included this week. Those things can be true, and we can still be grateful.

In fact, gratitude is such a powerful elixir for us as humans that looking for and finding things to be grateful for can help sustain us when things are hard or tough.

I also don’t believe thanksgiving need only be a personal and family tradition. I believe (and the research backs it up) that gratitude isn’t just personally powerful but aids in team development, and dynamics. And while many might not use that word to describe their aspirational organizational culture, if you have a team that practices and shares gratitude, I’m betting on the success of your team.

Practicing thanksgiving at work doesn’t have to mean sharing a turkey, a green bean casserole or cranberry sauce. Rather, help your team to practice giving thanks and sharing gratitude. (Here are some ways to start).

When you do, you will begin to change the attitude, outlook, dynamics and productivity of your team.

And that’s one more thing to be thankful for.

A version of this article was first posted in our email newsletter – Unleashing Your Remarkable Potential. Subscribe here.

What Do You Think?

Share your thoughts in the comments  - What are you grateful/thankful for today?

If You Lead Change, Join Us!

This Week’s Video