The Power of Gratitude in Business: What We Appreciate Appreciates

As leaders, it’s easy to focus on what’s not going right. We’re naturally wired to solve problems, fix shortfalls, and find ways to improve. While this drives performance, if we only highlight what's wrong, we miss a huge opportunity—bringing out the best in our people.

When we only point out mistakes or focus on shortcomings, we limit our team’s potential.

Striking a balance between constructive feedback and positive reinforcement is key. A simple rule to follow is offering 3 positive comments for every piece of constructive criticism. Why? Because when we acknowledge the good, we amplify it. Unfortunately, we often fall into the habit of noticing only the negatives.

This doesn’t just apply to how we treat others—it’s also about how we treat ourselves. When we appreciate what’s already working in our lives, we open the door for more positive outcomes personally and professionally.

Gratitude as a Leadership Tool

Gratitude isn’t just a nice gesture—it’s a powerful leadership tool. When you take the time to thank your team for their efforts, recognise progress, and celebrate wins, you're doing more than making people feel good. You’re laying the foundation for higher engagement, productivity, and a culture of continuous improvement.

If people only hear what they’re doing wrong, they’ll struggle to feel empowered. A focus on negative feedback alone fosters a mindset of avoidance, not excellence. But when leaders shift their focus to what’s going right, they create an environment where people feel valued and motivated to excel.

The 3-to-1 Rule: Amplifying the Positive

Following the 3-to-1 rule isn’t just a feel-good guideline—it’s grounded in psychology.

Positive feedback reinforces the behaviors that lead to success.

People naturally want to repeat actions that make them feel appreciated. The more you highlight what your team is doing well, the more of that behavior you’ll see.

On the flip side, if all you focus on are mistakes, people will associate feedback with criticism and, over time, disengage. Positivity builds momentum, and when we express gratitude, strengths grow.

Appreciating Your Team

Your team is the heartbeat of your business. Showing appreciation doesn’t require grand gestures—sometimes a simple "thank you," a note of recognition, or a shout-out in a meeting can have a profound impact. Positive reinforcement fuels confidence, belonging, and the drive to keep pushing forward. When you consistently highlight the good, your team will seek to replicate it, creating a cycle of success.

Appreciating Your Customers

Customers are the lifeblood of any business. Taking the time to thank them for their loyalty makes a lasting impression. It’s easy to get caught up in chasing new deals or resolving complaints, but don’t forget to appreciate the customers who keep coming back and believe in what you do.

Gratitude strengthens relationships, turning one-time buyers into loyal advocates. Focusing on what’s going right helps grow your valued relationships—a much more powerful strategy than always chasing the next new customer.

Focusing on the Good: A Mindset Shift

In business, solving problems comes naturally. But what if we put just as much energy into celebrating wins as we do into fixing mistakes? When we focus on the good—whether it’s a project that exceeded expectations, a team member going above and beyond, or a happy customer—we create more of it.

Gratitude fuels success. It’s a mindset that attracts positivity, drives innovation, and builds resilience. Leading with gratitude helps us see opportunities instead of obstacles, fostering a culture where everyone feels motivated to contribute their best.

What We Appreciate, Appreciates

At the heart of gratitude is a simple but powerful truth: What we appreciate, appreciates. Thanking your team, celebrating your customers, and focusing on what’s good multiplies those positive outcomes. Gratitude is a leadership strategy that builds trust, strengthens relationships, and attracts more of what we want in business and life.

So, pause for a moment. What are you grateful for in your team, your customers, and your business? Take time to express that gratitude—and watch how it elevates everything around you. After all, gratitude costs nothing, but its return is immeasurable.

Who can you thank today? What are you most grateful for in your professional and personal life? And how can you make gratitude a habit, not just a one-off?

When we get this right, everything becomes easier.

The better it gets, the better it gets!

PS. Thank you for reading this article - I appreciate you more than you realise :-)

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Naomi Oyston has more than twenty years leadership experience within the Corporate, Financial and SME Business sectors.? She has had extensive executive level success, with direct responsibility for leading the implementation and performance assessment of Customer Service Excellence, Sales Performance, Performance Coaching, Organisational Culture, Productivity and Leadership training within multiple major corporations.

Passionate, engaging and insightful, Naomi specialises in helping business leaders to create High Performing teams through a combination of mindset, toolkits and skillsets that are street proven to deliver results that matter.