It All Starts With Gratitude

By: Randy Wolken, President & CEO

This week we celebrate Thanksgiving as a nation.  To me, it seems like an appropriate time to stop and reflect on what to be grateful for.  This applies both at work and at home.

Gratitude has real implications for our workplaces.  Grateful people just perform better.  This is not just my experience – it has been shown to be the case in study after study.  And yet, it is often not a part of the strategic efforts of organizations. It should be.  This time of year, is a great time to stop and reflect on who and what we are grateful for.

As a leader, we need to express our gratitude to others for what they do for us and our customers.  Work can be stressful and demanding.  Constant change in our workplaces and in the marketplace can cause even more stress.  A bit of kindness and gratitude can reduce this stress and make it more enjoyable.  Even a friendly smile says I appreciate another without saying a word.

I know how grateful I am for the great team at MACNY and for the employees of our member companies. My team does an amazing job of meeting the needs of our members and the community.  Thanks for the times you acknowledge it and let them know how grateful you are.  There is nothing like our members letting us know when we do a good job.  Likewise, I am always in awe of what our members are doing.  They make our regional economy work.  When they grow and invest, our local economy grows along with them.  The spin-off impact is 3 to 1.  This is a real good return on investment.

As a leader, we can get very outcome focused. It is necessary. But, without talented people working hard, we will not get the outcomes we need.  Gratitude is one way we can support our people as they do the necessary hard work.  I know it is important to my work as a leader.  I suspect it is also to you.

Also, being grateful at home is just as important.  Our families and friends are the support networks we need to be successful at work.  Life is more enjoyable when we have those around us happy.  On this Thanksgiving week, let’s make sure we tell them just how important they are to us.

As leaders, how can we be more grateful?  Do we count our blessings daily?  Do we express when we are grateful?   Is it something we are known for at work and at home?  How might we encourage others to use this vital tool for company and community growth?  All important questions for us as leaders, during this special week.

Finally, thanks for all you do for our team here at MACNY and in our community!  You make our work meaningful and enjoyable.  Thanks!

Looking for more? Download my Amazon Bestseller, Present-Future Leader:  How to Thrive in Today’s Economy.