Ah, November. The season of gratitude and giving. Memes surface, cards are shared, and we are reminded to give thanks for everyday blessings. These messages can be helpful as news and current events remind us that gratitude isn’t a given. It can be easy to notice what frustrates us more than what is going well.
Being thankful for the ordinary things and extraordinary people in your life does a great deal for our mental health, our relationships, and our organizations.
We believe you can’t have too much gratitude.
Here are a few prompts and ideas to get the gratitude juices flowing this month:
Given the challenges you faced this year, what are you proud of achieving? Who was involved? How can you thank them for the roles they played in your success?
What ordinary experiences bring a sense of peace or comfort to you? List a few of these and share what they mean to you with your team.
How is your team living out your organizational values, especially when they might be tempted to do less? Share a specific real-life example of how team members lived out these values in a thank you card or at a team meeting.
How are your team members positively impacting you? Try out this formula to point out concrete examples of positive behavior: When you do ____________, I experience ____________. [pause] Thank you.
How do your team members like to be recognized? Think about the platinum rule here - “Appreciate people in the way they like to be appreciated.” While this may seem like a high bar, people enjoy what they enjoy. Send genuine tokens of appreciation that show you really see them. Remember to include a handwritten note sharing what you’re grateful for (see formula above!)
How are you expressing your gratitude with your teams this season? We’d love to have a conversation about your wins, what you got you there, and where you’re headed next. Let’s find a time to connect.
PS. We’re grateful for you - thanks for being part of our community of leaders!
