The Power of Gratitude

I was reading an article over the weekend which outlined the top five ways a leader leads. Each lesson was important – ranging from modeling leadership behavior to creating a vision to challenging team members to stretch themselves in order to reach the goal. However, the one that really grabbed me was one on ‘encouraging the hearts of people.’ The fact is – we all need encouragement. We live in a world which seldom encourages us. Often, we forget to be grateful for the contributions others make both large and small.

We all know what a powerful B12 it can be to have someone say:  “Thanks so much for all you do,” “Appreciate the extra time you took,”  “Great Job” or just “Thanks for stepping in and taking the reins.” We each can do this with those that cross our paths – personally and professionally. Try it today:

  • When talking to the person who makes your Starbucks or lunch each day
  • In any conversation with a friend, co-worker, secretary, etc.
  • When sending your standard email response

It is as simple as starting your conversations like this, “You know, there is something I have been wanting to tell you…”