This time of year, when we turn our minds to gratitude, we at Arden thought it would be useful to look at gratitude at work.
Many of us while sitting around the Thanksgiving table this year will note our gratitude for our jobs, for the roof it provides over our heads, maybe even for the day to day experience it brings us or the opportunities it provides us to travel, to learn, to grow.
Our coaching challenge for you this week, is to consider how you might bring the spirit of gratitude and thankfulness that you have this week into the workplace on a more regular basis.
Consider asking yourself these questions:
- As a leader, how frequently do I express gratitude to those who work for me? With me? Above me?
- What do I do to foster a workplace where gratitude is expressed by others?
- Do I feel appreciated/recognized for what I contribute at work?
- What are the things that I am currently taking for granted at work?
As a leader, you are responsible for the environment you create around you. I think we can all agree that most people like to exist in an environment where gratitude is present. If you doubt that, think of the feelings around this time of year – many people cite Thanksgiving as their favorite holiday for this reason – it’s based around gratitude and not getting/receiving. We simply honor what is.
If your goal is to create a more productive and pleasant workplace, where ideas and people can flourish – what else might you do to create an environment of gratitude year-round?
Consider these types of efforts:
- Make a point to set an example. Thank someone each day for something.
- Practice making your “thank you’s” about the person rather than the action. It’s nice to be acknowledged for getting a report in on time (action) but it’s even nicer to be thanked for being someone who is always respectful of others and therefore prompt and attentive in honoring deadlines (acknowledging the person themselves) – see the difference?
- Make an opportunity at meetings for your team to acknowledge one another. It doesn’t have to be long, or sappy – it’s a time to recognize the team efforts you make all the time that too often go unrecognized
- Ask someone what they feel unrecognized for and make a point of genuinely acknowledging them for it
Surely you can come up with many more ideas – please share them with us below!
If you’d like to discuss more about how to instill a culture of gratitude at work, please contact us for a complimentary consultation.