Leadership Begins With Gratitude

by Jonathan Jones

Imagine if all the people working for you appreciated your leadership and appreciated the job that they had. Imagine if they told their friends and colleagues that they had a great boss and were lucky to work for you. Imagine if you received the same response from your customers. They were appreciative of your products and services and told you and your team that they appreciated you. They tell their friends and business partners how important you are to their success.

Chances are, you would feel good about yourself and be fairly profitable. Does this seem like a Utopia?

It is possible, but it is more likely to occur if you are proactive through conscience gratitude. Consider Gallup’s research that finds that the average employee receives NO appreciation all year. None. Zero. You have an amazing opportunity as a leader. Here is a simple approach. First of all, start with your own mind. Daily, think about what you are grateful for. Become clear on these positives and prepare to share them with your employees. Think a little deeper and connect your sense of gratitude to your company values and objectives. Tell an employee what they specifically did well; and that you are appreciative of them; and how it relates to the success of the company and their success. Repeat this process over and over during the day. The first few times are hard, but with repetition, it can become a habit. Keep practicing daily gratitude. Once you are good at this, share this approach with your employees. Encourage them to do the same for each other and your customers. You can establish a positive bond between your employees and your customers. Both will more likely be loyal and more likely to create a positive working environment. Gratitude begins with leadership.

Jonathan Jones (Jonathan.jones@vistagechair.com or 314-608-0783) is a CEO peer group chair/coach for Vistage International.