by Jonathan Jones
2020 has been a challenging year. As we look toward the end of the year, one of our traditions is to set aside a day for gratitude and appreciation with family and friends. With a pandemic, how can we be thankful?
To put this question in perspective, consider the eyewitness account of William Bradford regarding the first thanksgiving. The pilgrims celebrated with a feast of thanksgiving after the previous winter, where they lost many people, including 73% of the women who came over on the Mayflower. Those who survived were still grateful for what and who they had around them after a horrific past winter. They were committed to moving forward and thankful for what they had.
Our employees and their families rely on us as business leaders to ensure that we continue to provide opportunities. Many employees have sacrificed and taken risks to help companies stay in business to serve customers. Your employees deserve appreciation and are looking for leadership.
While grieving losses is important, celebrating what and who has been lost is a way to honor the past with lessons learned and appreciation. Gratitude and thanksgiving are vital.
What are you thankful for? What were the critical lessons and inspirations that you learned from the previous year? Who made a difference in your life and was supportive when times were tough? Who helped you when you needed help? What were the unexpected positive surprises and opportunities that occurred during the challenges you faced? Who were the people you could rely on, and what were their strengths? What strengths and attributes do you have that you sometimes forget to recognize?
Gratitude can be a habit that helps us move forward in a positive way when times are good, and when times are bad.
Jonathan Jones (Jonathan.jones@vistagechair.com or 314-608-0783) is a CEO peer group chair/coach for Vistage International.
Submitted 4 years 28 days ago