All Great Leadership Starts with Gratitude

"Great leadership starts with great self-leadership," a quote Craig Dowden (Ph.D.) shared with me as we discussed his upcoming book. A Time to Lead: Mastering Your Self...So You Can Master Your World, co-authored with Alan Mulally , the legendary former CEO of Ford Motor Company and Boeing Commercial Airplanes, and Sarah McArthur , co-editor in Chief of Leader to Leader magazine. The book highlights essential qualities that leaders need to be successful, both now and in the future.

The opening chapter focuses on mastering our mindset. Craig says this was by design and an important reason. "Our mindset fundamentally shapes our experiences in the world as well as our outcomes. Whether we see a situation as a threat or opportunity directly influences the choices we make and the actions we take."

He referenced the groundbreaking work of world-renowned psychologist Carol Dweck, who highlighted the critical differences between growth and a fixed mindset. Craig also shared how gratitude plays an integral role in the perspective of a positive leader.

"Research shows that a primary reason employees leave an organization is they don't feel appreciated, and the Great Resignation provides a compelling case example to that effect. Leaders must show gratitude so their employees understand their contributions are appreciated."

Craig recounted how this gratitude gap could be especially prevalent for high-potential employees in his coaching work. "Some leaders feel threatened by their star performers. They are worried they will outshine them, so they hold back expressing gratitude. This general feeling of threat creates profound disconnection and motivates the top performers to go elsewhere."

Craig shared several strategies that leaders can use to leverage the power of gratitude for employee engagement:

• Ask your employees how they like to be appreciated. Some people enjoy being in the spotlight, and others want to receive a quiet acknowledgment. I call it 'tailoring to the one'. The key is to do it often, be specific, and be sincere. General praise is worse than no praise at all.?
• Ask your team members if they feel appreciated; Where do they do well? Where could they improve? Your interest in receiving feedback about how they can be better is invaluable and will build trust.

Craig mentioned the power of gratitude appears in every chapter of his book. When I asked him for another example, he talked about its importance to another crucial leadership quality: receiving feedback.

"Alan Mulally is one of the most revered CEOs of all time, and he brilliantly integrated the concept of gratitude throughout his Working Together Management System. He made sure that people would thank the other person whenever they received feedback, regardless of whether it was positive or negative."

Craig explained that this practice was incredibly compelling for a couple of reasons. First, it positively reinforced the concept of giving feedback to the provider. Hearing "thank you" motivated them to want to continue the practice.

Second, there were also positive benefits for the receiver. Rather than prompt a defensive reaction from the receiver, it sparked one of gratitude. This combination makes delivering feedback the hallmark of positive leadership practice.

Near the end of our conversation, Craig shared something that hit home. "Too often, we can look for grand gestures to engage teams and organizations effectively. Simply keeping gratitude top of mind is one of the most effective ways we can connect with people."

What I liked about that observation was how it extends to every aspect of our lives, both personally and professionally. It also is at the heart of why I started this newsletter. Shining the light on the most powerful ways we can live our best lives.

with love and gratitude,

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