Happy Thanksgiving! Gratitude and Leadership

"Gratitude is the healthiest of all human behaviors. The more you express gratitude for what you have, the more likely you will have even more to express gratitude for."

—Zig Ziglar

What does gratitude have to do with leadership? Think about it. Have you ever worked for a boss that wasn’t grateful for your contributions you made to your company? How did that make you feel?

Studies have shown that companies that “excel at employee recognition” are 12 times more likely to enjoy strong business results. Leaders who are grateful for and acknowledge employee contributions create a culture of gratefulness that trickles down through the whole organization.

Inc.’s Geoffrey James wrote “If you’re not exercising this emotional muscle, you’re probably setting yourself up for failure. I’m utterly convinced that the key to lifelong success is the regular exercise of a single emotional muscle: gratitude.” Research from the Harvard Business Review draws the same conclusions: appreciation matters.

While googling articles on gratitude, here are a few of the many benefits that I found about having an attitude of gratitude:

• Improves physiological and emotional health
• Opens the door to more relationships AND creates trust in relationships
• Improves self-esteem and increases mental strength
• Reduces pessimism and aggression
• Gives you more to be grateful for, as Zig says above
• Is a magnet for miracles

Try being grumpy and grateful at the same time. Personally, I have found that being grateful, even during hard times, makes those hard times “seem” easier through which to travel.

This suggestion came from an article in Forbes. “A five-minute a day gratitude journal can increase your long-term well-being by more than 10 percent. That’s the same impact as doubling your income!” WOW!

Thanksgiving is the time of year when we usually start to list things that we are grateful for…and there are many. My list begins with God, my family, my perfect health, my friends, my business, the country that I live in, and YOU…I could go on for a long time. It's time to create a more consistent habit of writing down those things for which I am grateful. 

Being grateful not only benefits me, but it has a positive influence on those around me. AND leadership is influence.

What is on your gratitude list?  I hope you take some time today to list those things that you are thankful for.

I wish you a Happy Thanksgiving and a blessed time with family and friends