Ep.038: Gratitude At Work

Gratitude often gets boxed into holidays and hashtags, but when leaders treat it as a daily operating principle, performance changes in measurable ways. The conversation starts with a candid look at year-end chaos, church events, travel, and football rivalries, then pivots to a core insight: what gets appreciated gets repeated. Teams will work for a paycheck, yet they go the extra mile for leaders who see them and say so. That shift reframes gratitude from a soft, seasonal nicety into a durable growth strategy. When appreciation becomes specific, timely, and public enough to be noticed, it builds trust, encourages helpful imitation, and shapes the culture people feel the moment they walk in.

The episode dives into hospitality as culture, not a department. Whether in a church of seven hundred or a small business with a handful of staff, hospitality signals who belongs and why their time matters. Leaders share ways they honor volunteers and employees who serve across roles: budget set aside for simple meals, handwritten notes after long weekends, and shout-outs attached to published work. Creatives especially feel valued when credited for photos or videos without filters that change the final look. This isn’t fluff. Clear recognition increases retention, lowers friction, and creates social proof that attracts others to contribute. Over time, consistent gratitude turns a rotating cast of helpers into an aligned team that cares about the mission and each other.

Practicality sits at the center of the approach. The hosts propose a “gratitude speed round” you can run in meetings: name a teammate who made you laugh, a client who believed early, a mentor who shaped you, and a moment you almost missed. It takes two minutes and resets the emotional tone of the room. Then comes the three-note challenge: send one thank-you to a teammate, one to a peer, and one to a customer or vendor. Keep it concrete, mention the specific behavior, and, when possible, deliver it in a handwritten card that arrives by mail. Customers usually thank us with payments and public reviews; flipping that script with our own proactive appreciation stands out and cements loyalty.

Leaders set the ceiling for gratitude. If it’s sporadic at the top, it will be scarce everywhere else. Build feedback loops into daily huddles, one-on-ones, and project retros so appreciation is expected and tracked. Use small budgets for meals or coffee as relational accelerators, but don’t confuse cost with impact; many people value a sincere paragraph more than a gift card. Anchor recognition to values and outcomes so it teaches the culture while celebrating the person. When gratitude is modeled consistently, routines become rituals, and workplaces begin to feel like communities that people fight to remain part of.

The hosts close with a challenge that fits a crowded season: don’t make gratitude seasonal, make it strategic. Tie it to milestones, launches, tough weeks, and quiet wins. Credit collaborators publicly when you publish. Thank customers the way you wish platforms let you rate them: by telling the world they were great partners. If you’re a manager, go first; if you’re an individual contributor, start anyway. A few sincere words move work forward faster than another tool or meeting. Gratitude is not the break from business—it’s the fuel.

Chapters:

0:00 Year-End Updates And Schedule

1:47 Thanksgiving Theme And Setup

3:09 Traditions, Football, And First Responders

5:58 Gratitude As A Leadership Habit

9:28 Culture, Hospitality, And Thanking Volunteers

13:45 Gratitude Speed Round In Practice

17:10 Thank-You Notes And Customer Appreciation

20:39 Make Gratitude Year-Round And Modeled

23:20 Closing Thanks And Ways To Connect