If you are stressed, handling uncertainty, and not getting the desired results, try gratitude. Gratitude is more than a nice gesture; it’s a critical leadership skill with measurable benefits. As a leader, how you practice gratitude can extend to your teams. Here are twelve simple ideas to express gratitude in your workplace.
Written Appreciation. Show appreciation in emails and/or other forms of communication. A handwritten thank-you note also goes a long way.
Check your word usage. A slight change can go a long way. A graphic designer attending my gratitude workshop told us that she was working with a client on a newsletter and that there was a lot of back-and-forth.
The client gave her many nitpicky changes, and the emails got shorter and shorter over time. Some of her replies were one-word. Realizing they sounded abrupt, the designer wrote in her following email, “I really appreciate you taking the time and caring about the little details in this.”
The client’s response was so gushy that the designer instantly saw what a huge difference her acknowledgment made. She realized her client might have left if she’d continued writing so tersely.
Gift It. Celebrate significant events and achievements by giving team members a gift. It doesn’t need to be expensive. It can be an experience, a personalized craft, or a baked goodie.
For instance, some organizations give one-time gifts or bonuses to show appreciation to those who go above and beyond, while others regularly hand out gift cards.
Jeanne, a tech manager, told me it made her day when the engineering vice president handed her early-season Red Sox tickets and said, “I thought you might want to reward someone on your team.”
She was extremely thankful that the vice president had given her the tickets to give away and said that giving them to a team member was better than going to the game herself (though her husband disagreed).
Program it. Create an appreciation program or committee that is sponsored by senior management.
Daily huddle. Hold a daily team huddle in the morning or afternoon and ask, “What are we grateful for?”
Silent moment. In meetings, start or end with a minute of silence, instructing the team to consider what they are grateful for.
Game it. Make a game out of gratitude by tracking who shows it the most.
Louise had a team of 40 people, and when someone went above and beyond what the job required, they got a golden paperclip. Anyone could give anyone else one of these coveted clips (and sometimes they just magically appeared!). The paperclips added up, and as the year progressed, they could turn them into Louise in exchange for a prize.
Review it. Include appreciation and gratitude as a regular part of employee performance reviews. Be clear as to what skills and behaviors are desirable and encourage and support them.
Publicly state it. Include gratitude in reports, status updates, and social media posts. Make it a regular part of every report, update, or presentation.
Core value it. Make gratitude a core value of the organization or team. Discuss how to implement gratitude with programs, projects, and business processes. Appreciation as a core value is sometimes used instead; it has a less woo-woo feel than gratitude.
Culture it. Create a culture where ingratitude is unacceptable and gratitude is the norm. This doesn’t have to be complicated or cost much money. It’s daily behaviors, word usage, actions, processes, and projects.
For example, Eric led a team of highly specialized semiconductor engineers. One day, he asked them to bring in a sturdy bag the size of a grocery sack without telling them what it was for.
A friend worked at a well-known local brewery, so he’d gotten his hands on a few interesting and unique beers. He found a lab table, lined them all up, and surprised his team by inviting them in.
Each team member could pick out the ones he or she wanted and take a six-pack home. It didn’t cost much but meant a lot to his team.
Teach It. Teach gratitude. Offer workshops or training in gratitude.
Verbal Appreciation. Show appreciation appropriately to individuals and teams. Encourage them to express gratitude regularly, consistently, and fairly. Try SMART gratitude.
What have you tried that worked or didn’t work to show gratitude in the workplace?
