Leadership and Gratitude
Thanksgiving is right around the corner and a perfect time for reflecting on the people we are grateful for in our personal and professional lives. Find ways to demonstrate gratitude all year long! In my workshops and retreats discussing leadership, there are many important leadership characteristics that seem to come up over and over again: Humility Honest and Respectful Communication Clear Vision Trustworthy I am certain you could add many more to this list… The one characteristic I wish I heard more often is Showing Gratitude. There is a lot of research that supports leadership and the importance of thanking people and showing gratitude. When co-workers, peers, direct reports, and employees feel adequately recognized and appreciated, they take more ownership in their position, feel more fulfilled, and actually stay at their job. We know and understand the painful costs in time and energy in replacing valuable staff members. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs: You can see how Showing Gratitude fits into four out of the five basic human needs. Knowing this, why don’t more leaders demonstrate their gratitude by providing positive feedback and recognition? Here are some reasons: They feel that the employee is paid well, and providing them with …