Written by John Whitehead
A very real phenomenon occurs in leadership. This happens when those given the opportunity to lead use their position to exert authority over others instead of expressing gratitude to their employees and customers.
In many cases, this is because many were led, and perhaps mentored, by a positional leader. This makes this leadership style feel natural and normal, making it hard to shift our paradigm to being a thankful leader.
Why is this distinction important?
Positional leadership can harden the hearts of our employees and customers toward both us as leaders and the organization we represent. This can lead to lost revenue, customer tension, and high turnover among employees and staff.
Though we can let what we have learned become a reason not to evolve with a changing world. We may soon find the leadership style we were exposed to and practice no longer resonates with today’s workforce and customer base. If so, perhaps it is time we tried another approach. What if we led with gratitude toward every person, both our employees and our customers?
This mindset contrasts sharply with positional leadership: a leader who uses the position to lift others to greater heights and lets them know they are grateful to have them in their lives. They’ve learned to express gratitude.
How can we learn to lead others with thanksgiving as our motivating factor?
We must start by being thankful for the opportunity to lead, while recognizing the value of those we are privileged to lead, and let them know it. This can be as natural as breathing if we ask ourselves if we use our positions to reinforce the value of our customers and those we lead by letting them know the value they bring to our lives, or do we simply see them as a means to an end?
Ironically, whether we realize it or not, those we lead will see the differences between these two perspectives more easily than we do. Just as with most things in life, others can tell how we perceive them by how we interact with them.
This is where leading with gratitude comes into play. Do we see those we lead as an opportunity to serve, or an opportunity to be served? If it is the former, we will lead by expressing gratitude for our employees and our customers.
How can I tell if I am a thankful leader? It starts with my seeing those I lead and do business with as an integral part of my life. When I do this, I am easily led to be thankful for them and the role they play. If I do not, I will not.
What makes this leadership style so impactful is that it starts with understanding that the leader's role is to serve those they oversee, not just dictate to them. Turning Thanksgiving into an expression of gratitude becomes contagious among those who experience this type of leadership firsthand, and it will be practiced and emulated across the organization when done well.
How will you know if you are leading others in this way? You will know because they will be grateful to have you and your organization in their lives!