Gratitude at Work and the Simple Habit That Transforms Teams
- Brainz Magazine
- Apr 22
- 5 min read
Written by Gilles Varette, Business Coach
30 years experience in Leadership: NCO in a paratrooper regiment in his native France, leading a global virtual team for a Nasdaq-listed company, Board stewardship, Coaching, and Mentoring. Gilles, an EMCC-accredited coach, holds a Master’s in Business Practice and diplomas in Personal Development and Executive Coaching, as well as Mental Health and Well-being.
Gratitude is more than just a nice sentiment – it's a strategic leadership tool. In high-trust workplaces, appreciation fuels motivation, engagement, and stronger team connections. Yet, in the rush to meet deadlines and drive results, many leaders overlook its impact. This article dives into why gratitude matters in leadership, the science behind its benefits, and simple yet powerful ways to integrate it into your daily leadership style.
When Doug Conant took over as CEO of Campbell Soup Company in 2001, the company was struggling – employee engagement was dismal, morale was low, and business results were slipping. Instead of launching a flashy initiative, Conant began writing handwritten thank-you notes to recognize his employees' efforts. Over the next decade, he wrote more than 30,000 notes to people at all levels of the organization.
The result? Engagement scores soared to the top tier of Fortune 500 companies, and the company's performance followed. Conant's leadership became a masterclass in how gratitude builds trust, loyalty, and results.
Gratitude isn't just about being polite – it's a transformational leadership habit. When expressed with sincerity and consistency, it fosters stronger teams, deeper commitment, and higher performance. Yet, in the rush to meet goals, gratitude is often sidelined as a "nice to have."
But the science tells a different story. Studies from the Greater Good Science Center and Harvard Business School (2013) show that when leaders practice genuine appreciation, employee engagement and productivity climb – sometimes dramatically.
So how can leaders harness gratitude as a strategy for trust, connection, and sustainable success? In this article, we'll explore the science behind gratitude, its impact on leadership, and simple, powerful ways to integrate it into your daily leadership style.
The science behind gratitude
Gratitude isn't just a leadership tactic – it's a proven strategy for boosting well-being and organizational effectiveness. Studies in positive psychology and neuroscience reveal three critical ways gratitude enhances leadership:
1. Boosts well-being and engagement
Employees who feel valued are more likely to be engaged, motivated, and committed to their work. A 2024 study by Gallup found that workers who receive regular recognition are 20% more productive and 21% more likely to stay with their company.
Key insight: When leaders express gratitude, they reinforce positive behaviors, leading to higher retention and performance.
2. Reduces stress and prevents burnout
Gratitude activates the brain's dopamine and serotonin pathways, reducing stress and enhancing overall mental health. The American Psychological Association (APA) reports that gratitude practices lower cortisol (the stress hormone) and increase resilience, making teams more adaptable in challenging situations.
Key insight: A simple "thank you" can reduce workplace stress and foster a culture of well-being.
3. Strengthens relationships and psychological safety
A culture of gratitude encourages trust and collaboration. According to research from the Journal of Applied Psychology, teams that practice appreciation experience stronger connections, reduced conflict, and higher levels of psychological safety – a key factor in innovative and high-performing teams.
Key insight: Employees who feel recognized and valued are more likely to take initiative and contribute innovative ideas.
Gratitude in action: Practical ways to lead with appreciation
While many leaders acknowledge gratitude's importance, few make it a consistent practice. Here's how to integrate gratitude into your leadership style:
1. Make gratitude a daily habit
Instead of waiting for annual reviews or major milestones, incorporate gratitude into daily interactions:
Start meetings with a "gratitude round," where team members recognize each other.
Use "appreciation emails" to acknowledge individual contributions.
Publicly celebrate team wins to reinforce collective effort.
Key insight: Small, consistent expressions of gratitude build a culture of appreciation far more effectively than occasional grand gestures.
2. Be specific in your recognition
Generic praise ("Great job!") lacks impact. Instead, highlight exact contributions:
Identify the action: Clearly state what the person did that you appreciate.
Highlight the impact: Explain how their actions contributed to the team or organization.
Personalize it: Tailor your recognition to the individual's strengths and contributions.
Examples:
Instead of: "Thanks for your help with the project."
Say: "Thank you for staying late to ensure the project met the deadline. Your dedication helped us deliver on time and exceed client expectations."
Instead of: "Good presentation."
Say: "Your presentation was clear, concise, and engaging. The way you explained complex data made it easy for everyone to understand, and it led to a productive discussion."
Key insight: The more specific the gratitude, the more meaningful the recognition.
3. Ensure authenticity
Gratitude, when done well, strengthens trust – but when it's performative or insincere, it can erode it. Recognition should never feel like a checkbox or management tactic.
How to ensure authenticity:
Be timely: Express gratitude as soon as possible after the event or action.
Be specific: Specificity adds authenticity.
Be genuine: Speak from the heart. Avoid using generic phrases or templates.
Focus on impact: Highlight how the person's actions have made a difference.
Avoiding pitfalls:
Avoid overgeneralization, delayed recognition, and token praise.
Key insight: Authentic gratitude creates loyalty. Token praise creates skepticism.
4. Create a culture of appreciation
Gratitude shouldn't just come from leaders – it should be a company-wide practice:
Establish peer recognition programs where employees can acknowledge each other.
Introduce "gratitude walls" where team members can post notes of appreciation.
Host monthly "recognition moments" during team meetings.
Example: Google fosters a gratitude culture through its "gThanks" program, allowing employees to publicly appreciate colleagues, leading to higher morale and engagement.
Call to action: A gratitude challenge
Try the 5-day gratitude challenge
Day 1: Write down 3 things you appreciate about your team.
Day 2: Verbally acknowledge a colleague's effort.
Day 3: Send a thank-you message with specific feedback.
Day 4: Share a team success story in your next meeting.
Day 5: Encourage peer-to-peer recognition.
Watch how morale, connection, and motivation shift – often within days.
Final thought: Gratitude isn't soft, it's strategic
Gratitude isn’t just a leadership buzzword – it’s a powerful, often underestimated force for real change. But if there’s one specific gratitude habit that consistently makes the biggest difference, it’s peer-to-peer recognition. When appreciation comes from colleagues, not just from the top down, it creates a culture of trust, shared ownership, and motivation.
Learn more about why peer-to-peer gratitude works in this article from Harvard Business Review: The Benefits of Peer-to-Peer Praise at Work
Leaders who consistently express appreciation create more resilient, innovative, and committed teams. In a competitive world, gratitude may be the edge your leadership needs.
So, how will you lead with gratitude today?
Gilles Varette, Business Coach
30 years experience in Leadership: NCO in a paratrooper regiment in his native France, leading a global virtual team for a Nasdaq-listed company, Board stewardship, Coaching, and Mentoring. Gilles, an EMCC-accredited coach, holds a Master’s in Business Practice and diplomas in Personal Development and Executive Coaching, as well as Mental Health and Well-being. He strongly believes that cultivating a Growth Mindset is the key to Personal Development and a natural safeguard against the expertise trap. He lives by this quote from Epictetus: “It is not what happens to you that matters, but how you react; when something happens, the only thing in your power is your attitude toward it.”
References:
Gallup (2021). State of the Global Workplace Report. [online] Gallup. Available here.
Greater Good Science Center (n.d.) The science of gratitude. University of California, Berkeley. Available here.
Harvard Business Review. (2013). The Big Benefits of a Little Thanks. [online] Available here.
Morin, A. (2015).
Scientifically Proven Benefits of Gratitude | Psychology Today. Available here.
