Because leadership is forward-focused, it is easy for leaders to not appreciate the present day successes, according to Andy Stanley. By calling and nature, leaders are often visionaries. We are looking to the next thing and not acknowledging the people who made our previous vision possible. This is more than just ingratitude. Those who commit numerous hours to see a vision come together actually hold us in their debt, according to Stanley. We owe them big time and we could never repay them for that time.
What we can do is express gratitude in honest and sincere ways.
It starts by simply saying “thank you.” It may not feel like enough but it is what is appropriate. But we must say this thank you in a way that is specific. What are we thankful for? The gratitude should be expressed publically if possible. Do it in front of the individuals peers. We must also be aware and intentional about being grateful. As a leader, find an action that was done that you didn’t see. Send a thank you card with details of what you heard was done. And finally be honest. Only thank someone for what you liked. I have been a culpret of this. I wanted to thank someone for their hard work but I could not think of something specific. I instead thanked them for something that I wasn’t actually a fan of. Stanley warns us that what we thank someone for will encourage them to do it again.
What ways do you express gratitude to your team?
This is a good word. I fully agree that gratitude can go a long way in leadership. As a person who is always looking to the next best thing, I rarely stop long enough to admire the distance already traveled. When this happens I have often miss opportunities to express gratitude for all those that have helped accomplish the vision. But on the other hand, I have found that when I take the time to express my gratitude for all that has been done, those individuals actually begin to take pride in their work. They are more apt to take initiative and to “go the extra mile.”
ReplyDeleteWhile gratitude is a necessity, I often wonder which comes first? Is it the actions of an individual that produces the gratitude or should gratitude drive people to action. The answer is most likely YES. The only reason I bring this up is because, as a former pastor, I realize how easy it is for leaders to think (often unconsciously) that we don’t need to extend gratitude until some sort of action is engaged. It is because of this dynamic that I believe that it is important, for leaders to extend gratitude all the time.