The link between gratitude and success

November 22, 20161 minute read

What better time than Thanksgiving to reflect on the impact gratitude can have on the people around us? A recent article on refreshleadership.com cites several sources confirming that “recognition is a powerful motivator that can build employee retention and increase productivity” and a lack of recognition can have an equally negative effect.

One of the sources mentioned in the piece is an item in Harvard Health Publications concluding that “Managers who remember to say ‘thank you’ to people who work for them may find that those employees feel motivated to work harder.”

But it’s not all about the impact on others. Jared Brox, author of “Attitude of Gratitude: Why Thankful People Are Successful People,” suggests that thankful people are healthier in mind, body, and spirit and are “masters of perspective,” meaning that “rather than being discouraged by adversity, they are energized by the opportunity they’ve been given to step into the unknown and blaze a new trail forward.”

The article also offers suggestions about making gratitude a habit.