I love the week of Thanksgiving. I am a huge advocate that servant leaders are intentional about building a culture of encouragement and gratitude.

Thanksgiving is a special day that has been set-aside in our awesome nation of America to honor God and express our thankfulness to him for all of the blessings that he has bestowed upon us throughout the year. I appreciate this time of year to remind us that we should really show an attitude of gratitude everyday throughout the year.

By consistently putting emphasis on leading with an attitude of gratitude, servant leaders:

  • Build confidence in others
  • Improve productivity
  • Foster innovation
  • Develop positive relationships
  • Build trust

I know that this does not always come naturally for everyone, but I firmly believe that a leader can develop an attitude of gratitude if they are intentional about working at it. 

Here are a few ideas for improving your leadership through gratitude:

  • Make gratitude intentional and routine. Make it a goal each day to go out and catch people doing the “right thing”, and then let them know how much you appreciate it, and the difference their work is making for the organization and / or customers.
  • Be specific and authentic. Don’t just tell someone “Great job”. Instead let them know how their specific performance or behavior has made a true difference.
  • When appropriate make it a “Big Deal”. Recognize times when gratitude should be publically celebrated.
  • Write hand-written notes of appreciation. Hand-written notes take more effort, and mean more to the recipient.
  • Welcome and appreciate gratitude. Graciously accept gratitude coming your way as well.
  • Each day ask yourself, Who is one person who needs to hear me say, “Thank you, I’m grateful for you.” 

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of the people that have blessed me with the opportunity to work with them through Triune Leadership Services, LLC, as well as the loyal readers of this blog. I appreciate all of your hearts for servant leadership and your desire to make a positive impact within your sphere of influence and the world. You are making a huge difference in my life, inspiring me to stay sharp and provide useful information on servant leadership. Thanks! 

Mark Deterding

Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:18