17 May The Attitude of Gratitude
Gratitude is the pillow on which success rests its head.” – Anon
Have you come across people, confident folks, turning self-effacing due to sheer self consciousness and sensitivity? The competitive ecosystem of any workplace has a few such ‘victims’ of the illusion called ‘separateness’. So, on who does the onus of recognizing these people lie?
One of the most powerful antidotes I’ve discovered to dismantling ‘separateness’ is the intentional practice of gratitude. But the catch is, we can’t give away to people what we ourselves don’t have. Just as we cannot tell our kids to do things that we ourselves don’t do.
I soon discovered the two stages of gratitude. Stage one begins with the acknowledgment of goodness in one’s own life. This is a place wherein we say yes to life. Affirming everything in our life that’s good and makes living a worthwhile experience.
Stage two is the recognition that many of the sources of this goodness lie outside of ourselves. Operating from this place we find many people in our lives to thank. At the workplace, colleagues or team mates are amongst those we have much to thank for.
One of the most powerful and effective ways of unlocking the power of gratitude is honouring the smallest moments or acts in life. Imagine the depths of inter-personal relationships this could unlock for leaders, especially with their teams.
Of the many definitions of gratitude I’ve come across over the years, the Harvard Medical School one spells it out best: (Gratitude is) “a thankful appreciation for what an individual receives, whether tangible or intangible. With gratitude people acknowledge the goodness in their lives. As a result, gratitude also helps people connect to something larger than themselves as individuals – whether to other people, nature, or a higher power.”
For decades we believed that it’s unprofessional to bring things like forgiveness or gratitude or compassion into the workplace. Yet evidence suggests that gratitude and appreciation contribute to the kind of workplace environments where employees actually want to come to work and don’t feel like cogs in a machine.
Almost all the successful business leaders I’ve met, intentionally cultivate an attitude of gratitude at the workplace. In fact, they confirm that gratitude is the gateway that’s opened undiscovered realms of fulfilment and success.
And here’s why:
“The struggle ends when gratitude begins.” — Neale Donald Walsch
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