Giving Thanks is Powerful Medicine

My family had a 60-year tradition of meeting up for Thanksgiving every year. It started with my grandmother and her sister, and their families. It grew into an annual reunion of 40+ people crammed into a house together, with lots of laughter and cooking and dishes. While we no longer meet up at Thanksgiving, the connections continue in big, never-ending group chats.

One thing I always took away from those reunions was a gratefulness for family and the support I have. I am blessed with a large, mostly normal but definitely fun, family and know that I can call on any of them anytime.

In working with leaders and organizations, being thankful is one of the most powerful tools we have. In David Horsager's article on Forbes from 2012, "Your Most Powerful Forgotten Weapon: Gratitude," he says "gratitude makes a difference but that people don’t require big gestures, just heartfelt ones."

Decades of research from Human Synergistics Inc shows that managers and leaders who express their heartfelt appreciation for an employee's efforts impact their employees in ways that maximize their motivation to repeat those behaviors. With consistent appreciation and meaningful rewards, the organization's culture reinforces these behaviors and it becomes the norm to appreciate others and continue to strive for great results.

In coaching leaders and managers, I have learned that often we are more critical of ourselves than others are of us. If this is as true for you as it is for me, take a moment to recognize yourself. This could be as informal as taking a quiet moment to reflect on something you did well, or you could formalize it and create a journal where you write something down daily or weekly. Struggling to think of something? Ask for feedback from someone you trust, whether it's a friend or employee or peer. Once you become more comfortable recognizing your worth, create your own list.

One thing about the work I do with organizations, the good behaviors that benefit us at work are possibly more important with our loved ones at home. So don't forget to show your appreciation to them as well!

Wishing all of you a happy holiday season and a grateful New Year.

#Thanksgiving #rewards #gratitude #appreciation #management #leadership