Gratitude + value = impact
This month, I’m re-sharing a newsletter I wrote five years ago…a reminder that sharing our gratitude and the impact others have on us shouldn’t be a once-a-year thing.
with gratitude…
When I sit down to write these newsletters, I don’t usually have a plan. When I started to write them last summer, I consciously chose to wait until I sat down to write to decide on the topic.
What is top-of-mind for me right now? What will serve you, the reader?
So, when I started this month’s newsletter, my initial intent was to write about setting goals…you know, the usual planning-for-the-new-year activity.
Nope. Change of plans…
I want to talk about impact.
Thanksgiving is a time to express our gratitude, and a by-product of sharing that gratitude is impact. ‘I’m grateful for (insert people, places, or things here), because…(the impact).’
This topic is top-of-mind for me because I have suffered a couple significant losses in the last few weeks.
First, my husband and I had to put down our senior cat, Moo, after a brief illness. To say this loss was devastating is an understatement. Moo was my husband’s constant companion, and for any pet owners out there, you know that the unconditional love from a pet is unmatched. Moo’s impact on us will be long-lasting.
Here’s Moo from several Christmas’s ago…this is why we only put lights and a star on our tree!
Second, my oldest friend…we’ve known each other since grade school…passed away on Thanksgiving Day. In the late 90s, we reconnected and I ended up working for her. I have considered her my mentor, as she taught me everything I know about learning/development and performance consulting…the focus of the last several years of my corporate career.
The days since I received the news of her death have been a blur. I know that she died knowing what she meant to me, but I can’t help but wonder if she knew the impact she had on my life.
Connecting with mutual friends and colleagues has been healing; as one friend said: ‘Her impact was beyond measure.’
Here’s something I know for sure: It is unlikely I would be a coach today if it wasn’t for her. She arranged for me to go to my first coach training program in 2006. She said, ‘We need someone on the team who knows how to coach.’
‘Huh? What’s that?’ And after a brief explanation, ‘Okay…I’ll do it…’
So grateful…
So, what does this have to do with leadership?
Expressing our gratitude is a no-cost gift we can give to others. As leaders (or humans, for that matter!), let’s become intentional about having an impact on the people around us, and letting others know when they are having an impact on us.
Here are a few tips to express your gratitude, and not just at Thanksgiving…
Commit to how you want to show up. A good friend provided me with some feedback recently that really got me thinking. I get paid to help my clients create the results they want, and while I may see their potential and what’s getting in their way, sometimes it’s about just BEING with them. The advice: ‘Meet people where they are, not where you think they can be.’
Best. Feedback. Ever.
I want to show up as present, open, heart-centered, and compassionate.
How do you want to show up?
Be grateful every day. If expressing your gratitude doesn’t come easily, start with being grateful for smaller stuff. Every evening, reflect on three (3) things you’re grateful for that day and why.
Using the example above, complete the sentence: ‘I am grateful for ___________, because _______.’
Creating this practice will make it easier when the opportunity presents itself to acknowledge that person who has really made an impact on you.
And, because you want them to know…
Tell them. We all want to be acknowledged for who we are and what we do for others AND imagine the impact when we also hear…the impact!
Here’s an example of a conversation I had with my son years ago: ‘Thanks for letting me know you were going to be late. When you let me know ahead of time, I don’t worry about what I’m afraid might have happened to you. A quick text is all I need to get a good night’s sleep.’
Do you want to increase your team’s engagement? Gratitude with an explanation of the impact will go a long way.
Here’s another way we can impact those around us: modeling intention! This is tip #1 in action; how we decide to show up has an impact on those around us, whether positive or negative. Being intentional through self-awareness of how we can impact others.
Happy Thanksgiving! 🦃 🍁