As we take a momentary time-out this Thursday in America from our challenges as professionals, citizens and family members and give thanks for what’s good and right in our world and lives, those of us that serve as leaders have a few additional reasons to be grateful for the opportunities that we have in support of others.
The Leader’s List for Giving Thanks:
- Be grateful for your unique chance to serve others. It truly is a privilege.
- Be thankful for the patience and forbearance that your colleagues and team-members show as you learn over time and through trial and error what it truly means to lead.
- Give thanks for your chance to learn from others.
- Pay honor to those that came before you and took the time to pass along their wisdom…even if you didn’t realize how valuable it was until much later.
- Be in awe of the opportunity that you have in front of you to positively impact lives in ways that few other jobs or professions provide.
- Be inspired to motivate, coach and teach those that invest valuable time in their lives and careers with you.
- Give thanks for the opportunity that you have to create value for your organization. You might not engineer new products or services, but the people that work for you enable others to perform their jobs creating or building or supporting at high levels.
- Be grateful that you were given or developed the patience to cope with the daily stresses and strains of leadership and to keep reminding yourself that it is all worth it in the end.
- Give thanks for your chance to participate in the journey of a lifetime.
- And most of all, just give thanks by speaking up and remembering that a well-placed, heartfelt “Thank you” is one of the most powerful and important of all leadership tools.
And yes, please accept my sincere Thank You for your readership and conversation. I am truly grateful for you.
-Art
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Well said Art. Thank you for your great leadership in Leadership.
– Michael
Michael, thank you for reading and commenting. And right back at you! You provide us all with some outstanding and valuable content. Best, -Art
Art –
Leaders often do have the heavy load which is why I like your post reminding all leaders to give thanks. It is as you say, a journey of a lifetime. And what a journey now that we are truly global via the internet. 20 years ago when I started my training/consulting practice, geography put some limitations on learning and opportunities for success. No longer.
So in addition to my health, family, and friends — I am grateful for opportunities. Opportunity to:
– Inspire others when the tough year has brought them down
– Work with so many interesting companies in diverse places with diverse people on issues of people skills, teamwork, and customer service
-Learn from my network, my clients, and this evolving world
Warmest holiday wishes to all leaders and those they inspire!
Happy Thanksgiving America.
Kate
Kate, thank you for your very thoughtful additions! Catalin, thank you as well for your kind words and for returning here regularly and sharing your thoughts. I am grateful for having had the opportunity to serve as an educator in one of your courses and am thrilled to remain in discussion over great leadership and management issues. Happy Thanksgiving to you both! -Art
Art,
I just love this article. I came back here and got inspired. I knew you had something special to say today.
Actually, I want to thank you for motivating me and giving me the opportunity to learn from you.
Regards,
Catalin Cociuba
Art,
It is so good to see this article because i do think leaders need to be thankful in lots of areas. No matter the mistake employees make or the bad situation the company has, leader should be thankful. Leaders grow and learn from these situation and make them stronger.
Great post.
I’d like to add one other one, that maybe just applies to me. I’m thankful that the people who work with me are smart and resourceful enough to make the dumb decisions I make look good.
Andy, great add for all of us! Cheers, -Art
Wounderful post Art!
It takes true wisdom to see the gift with all of our relationships, professional and other wise. We might not always enjoy the relationships life through at us, but what brings out the our best is seeing the bigger picture of those relationships in the world we have.
Of all the things I have to be thankful for, I never stopped to include the people I lead or those that have taken the time to mentor me, the employers who have invested in my further education and development. Those who have provided me opportunities I would not have had. Thank you Art for pointing these out.
Ann, thanks for reading and sharing! And Bob, wise words from a wise man. -Art
Thank you for the insightful reminder, Art. I’ve learned the profound effects of a heartfelt “thank you.” Still, it is often that we fail to think about the opportunity to be thankful for the position that we are blessed to be in. It may be relatively easy to express gratitude to those around us, yet it is more difficult to assess the many things that we, internally, are thankful for. It is not often that we convey gratitude for the many opportunities to develop into an incredible leader. I appreciate the genuine reminders that you convey in your blog. Once again, thank you.
Carla, thank you for your thoughts and kind words! -Art