Are we growing more impatient, selfish, disrespectful and ungrateful? Depending on the day, many say yes. But I encounter many individuals (grateful leaders and employees) who are working on making a positive difference, and for that, I am truly grateful.
This is not always an easy task for leaders, especially when employees are quick to pinpoint the things that annoy them, and take little time to reflect on those that please them. But according to a national survey on gratitude commissioned by the John Templeton Foundation, “Americans are very grateful and they think gratitude is important—they’re just not very good at expressing it.”
Leaders set the tone for the entire organization. Those who can express gratitude make a tremendous difference in how people relate to each other and enjoy their work. Positive behavior depends on a positive mindset, and the cornerstone is gratitude.
A Grateful Mindset
Grateful leaders express an appreciation for being the benefactor of something that made their life better. They recognize that they didn’t cause it or deserve it; the source was greater than themselves, causing a favorable condition with a lasting effect. This fosters a positive mindset, which steers helpful actions.
According to executive coach Christine Comaford in her 2017 Forbes article, Great Leaders have an Attitude of Gratitude – Do You?, a grateful mindset offers leaders a positive emotional reserve that can be tapped when tough situations arise. This is a great tool to thrive under pressure and overcome challenges. Alternatively, ingratitude leads to negative emotions that drag a spirit down. A negative focus doesn’t inspire satisfaction, ideas, solutions or helpful decisions.
Grateful leaders see conditions more positively and experience less stress and fatigue. This allows for better focus, reason and discernment—in all a healthier leadership. Contrary to this, ungrateful leaders are often burdened with debilitating stress and are more susceptible to burnout. A negative outlook misjudges situations, causing mistakes, missed opportunities and unfortunate responses.
Gratitude also fosters compassion and kindness toward others. The opposite effect is true for ungrateful leaders: they are hard to deal with. People avoid them and have no desire to know them. Ingratitude spreads like a disease, causing the culture to grow toxic.
What do you think? How do you describe a grateful leader? I’d love to hear from you. You can call me at 561-582-6060, let’s talk. And as always, I can be reached here or on LinkedIn.
