If you read our blog post from last month: “Being a Scary Boss is So 2000 and Late” you know a couple of the most important things to remember is to build trust within your team and to treat your team members with respect. Since this is the time of giving thanks, make sure you remember to express your thanks (and gratitude) to your team as well!
The Difference Between Thanks and Gratitude
It might just be me, but I definitely notice a difference between getting a “thanks” and feeling genuine gratitude from someone. A “thanks” is one of those things that happen occasionally for a specific reason – maybe a presentation was spot-on, or some really tedious data-entry was done in record time. Gratitude, however, is an ongoing process. It is not just words and a smile, it is a conscious effort to make someone feel appreciated. This is especially important in high-anxiety positions and industries. Everyone loves feeling appreciated (and it will lead to having your employees more willing to stick around, work harder, stay late, and just give you an overall more positive work environment).
How To Show Gratitude
There are a ton of simple, cheap, effective ways to show gratitude to your team. You can do something as simple as just being present when they’re speaking to you. By listening to them, helping to resolve issues, or providing advice, you show you care. Care is the first step towards gratitude. Rejoice when your team members have a win, help them when they’re going through tough times (can we say COVID-19?). You don’t have to have all the answers or a magic wand to make everything okay when it’s not, just showing that you’re there as more than a boss will begin to show gratitude. Other ways to help show gratitude can be things like having a cake for birthdays, giving a bonus (if you can) during the holidays, recognizing work anniversaries, and even just being sure to thank a team member when they deserve it.
What Gratitude Isn’t
I know, I know. This sounds sappy and like you’re giving up power and respect as a leader – not something we want to do but hear me out. Showing gratitude to your team members will not diminish the respect they have for you, your position, or your authority. In fact, 93% of employees find grateful bosses are more likely to succeed and only 18% of people thought showing gratitude made a boss “weak” (Five Ways to Cultivate Gratitude at Work). My guess is, the more people you ask about grateful bosses, the lower that 18% goes, especially in today’s workplace.
We’re entering the Thanksgiving season, so it’s time to make sure you’re thanking the people who help make your job easier – your teammates. And remember to consider their personality type as you do so. If you need help understanding them, give us a call. We provide personality training so that you can succeed and grow as business leaders.
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