Demonstrating Real Gratitude

Are you demonstrating REAL gratitude?

In the last week, I’ve had coaching conversations with three different executives that focused on the same issue:  turnover and retention challenges. Employees, they said, are less engaged and tired while reluctantly stepping into new challenges.  Perhaps not boldened by the Great Resignation, they have stayed, yet are stressed from two years of uncertainty, adapting to the unending changes in process brought about by COVID, and the ever-fleeting absence of a new normal. 

Debbie Cohen and Kate Roeski-Zummer from HBR recently wrote about the turnover challenge, urging employers to focus as much on those who are NOT leaving as backfilling for departures. “You need to think of your employees like customers and put thoughtful attention into retaining them,” they wrote. 

Cohen and Roeski-Zummer offered a number of strategies employees can utilize for re-engaging the workforce, all very valuable.  My coaching conversations, however, traveled to a single question:  how are you showing real gratitude for your employees?  These conversations reminded of Jack Zenger’s Frontline Leadership videos from years ago on recognition, “Recognition costs virtually nothing to give but a little attention to the other person.”  Amazing!  He wasn’t talking about bonuses, pay raises or lavish dinners.  He reminded us then, as today, that true recognition or gratitude comes when a leader who has noticed, and then comments with gratitude on the hard work of someone else.  

Showing gratitude is most likely the easiest conversations we can have as leaders.  It begins by saying thank you, of course, but meaningful gratitude goes beyond platitudes.  It specifically describes what the person did and the impact that behavior had on the team, the organization, or others.  It pauses in the moment to notice what went well, and how it went so well.  Real gratitude is specific and personal.

How are you showing real gratitude in our continued COVID uncertainty?  Have you bought the team lunch recently?  Sent flowers?  Delivered a hand-written card describing why you are grateful for the other person and why their actions are so important to the work of the team?  Challenge yourself and your team to demonstrate genuine gratitude.  Then watch how the outlook on the team evolves!

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