Leading with Gratitude
The Gallop organization, one of the leading research groups on work, states that Globally 80% of employees are either not engaged or are actively disengaged at work, and employee engagement has barely budged in two decades.
One of the reasons Gallop states that employee engagement is failing is because organizations are more focused on measuring contentment and catering to employee’s desires with game rooms, coffee machines and parties- instead of treating employees as valued stake holders in the company’s future.
Gratitude may seem to be a bit of a platitude, but for Christian leaders in the work place it is a unique opportunity for God to shine through you in all circumstances. It is an opportunity for action, and it is an opportunity to elevate the potential and capability of every group you lead.
2 Corinthians 2:14 — The New King James Version (NKJV)
Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place.
As a leader, how do you put gratitude into practice?
Gratitude is an attitude, it is a culture that you create, and a way of engaging with others.
“It is one thing to be grateful, it is another to give thanks. Gratitude is what you feel, thanksgiving is what you do” - Tim Keller
In partnership with the Holy Spirit, there are opportunities for each of us daily to up our gratitude game
Feel Gratitude – Anchor your emotions to being grateful no matter what
See Things to Be Grateful For – Gratitude and joy create inspirational leaders
Show Gratitude – Authentically and frequently thank God & those around you
Feel Gratitude – Anchor your emotions to be grateful no matter what
We don’t see the world as it is, we see the world as we are. If you are looking for something to complain about - you will always find it. If you are looking for something to give thanks for, you will always find it. – Mark Batterson
In the Christian school my teenage boys attend they have formula that many adults can also benefit from. Circumstance + Response = Outcome
So simple, but this formula offers a powerful lens to very complex situations. You can’t control your circumstances, but you can control how you respond. If your response is to any circumstance is gratitude (and there is always something to be grateful for) the outcome is always better.
As Tim Keller said - Gratitude is an emotion, and faith is essential to shaping your emotions. Through daily habits of prayer, allow gratitude to transform your emotions as a leader. The feeling of gratitude infused through the Holy Spirit is also synonymous with a peace and joy that you have a unique opportunity to shine into the workplace.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 New Living Translation
Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.
See Things to Be Grateful For – Gratitude and Joy Create Inspirational Leaders
Gratitude is a form of outreach and grateful people make God shine. We all have an aptitude for gratitude. This is a superpower aligned with kindness that we all possess and must use often.
According to Gallop Research some of the top traits of great managers are individuals who can initiate, motivate and collaborate. All of these require the capacity to see things to be grateful for and communicate them effectively to those around you.
God is always at work through us and around us to accomplish his purposes, sometimes in ways we know and often in ways we’ll never know. You can lean on God and the Holy Spirit as you lead to show you what to be thankful for.
I love the analogy from the Bible in One Year by Nicky Gumble.
Imagine in your walk with God you are wearing two boots
One Boot is Thank and One Boot is Trust.
Each day you take one step at a time. Thank God with One Step & Trust God with the Next.
With each step – see how He is working, thank him, and trust him more. No doubt his light will shine brightly through you on the journey.
Your God led actions of gratitude are way more powerful than solely focusing on negatives or shortcomings, and can transform your organization
Show Gratitude - Authentically and Frequently Thank God & Those Around You
Gratitude must be expressed frequently. In her book The Kindness Challenge, Shaunti Feldhahn sites what Indiana University researchers discovered. The secret sauce to thankfulness that many of us miss: Gratitude has to be expressed in order to have the impact we are hoping for. I’m not sure you can express too much gratitude. Show it early and often – and know there is always room to show more gratitude.
Gratitude must be authentic and specific. To be the leader that initiates, motivates and collaborates with gratitude. You can’t fake thankfulness. Many companies have “reward and recognition systems”. Use those – but don’t stop there. Send the e-mail copied to key people of influence. Make the ad hoc comments at the end of the meeting. As a leader, you get to steer the culture by reinforcing good, and when you do it from the heart when people least expect it, with specific recognition, you are living out your God given purpose as a leader.
In Summary, To Lead with Gratitude Aspire to….
Feel Gratitude – Anchor your emotions to be grateful no matter what
Connect with God through prayer, Praise Him in all circumstances. Aspire to walk the challenging path of finding sincere, consistent, moment by moment joyful gratitude.
See Things to Be Grateful For – Gratitude and Joy Create Inspirational Leaders
Notice the details, Notice God working, and Notice those around you. He is working EVERYWHERE – even in the hardest times.
Show Gratitude - Authentically and frequently thank God & those around you
Gratitude is what you feel – thanksgiving is what you do. Give Thanks regularly & publicly with authenticity & specificity. Know that God’s joyful light will be shining through you every time!
Psalm 111:1-4 New Living Translation
Praise the Lord!
I will thank the Lord with all my heart
as I meet with his godly people.
How amazing are the deeds of the Lord!
All who delight in him should ponder them.
Everything he does reveals his glory and majesty.
His righteousness never fails.
He causes us to remember his wonderful works.
How gracious and merciful is our Lord!
Marisa Fienup currently serves as Senior Director of Product Management for Tandem Diabetes driving a digital and hardware product pipeline focused on reducing burden and improving quality of life for diabetes patients.
Marisa has a 20+ year career in the Life Sciences space leading global portfolios for large drug and device companies such as Baxter, Edwards Lifesciences, and Medtronic as well as identifying and implementing growth strategies for smaller privately held organizations. Her passion is aligning unmet needs with strategic choices and motivating cross functional teams to implement. Prior to her career in Life Sciences, Marisa also worked for Ford Motor company in manufacturing and marketing roles.
Marisa is a 4word Board Member and is passionate about helping others achieve their God given purpose and potential. She holds an MBA from the University of Michigan, and a BS Degree from Purdue University. She lives in Southern California with her husband and two boys. In her free time, she can be found outside rock climbing, kayaking, skiing, or cheering her sons on at a baseball game.