Ever since my daughters were very young, it has been a Franza family tradition to go around the table before our Thanksgiving blessing and meal and ask everyone to identify at least one thing for which they are thankful. We are not a big family, so everyone is willing to indulge in this tradition as it does not delay the festivities too long. In addition, as time has gone by, we have all realized that being grateful is an activity that makes us feel better, so everyone now seems to enjoy the tradition.
This year, I didn’t want to limit this tradition to my family, so I reached some friends in business to find out what makes them grateful in their work life. I started by limiting my questioning to organizational leaders, but I quickly found out that the perspectives of other business employees are highly instructive as well. So, without any further ado, let us look at the things that make businesspeople most grateful.
As I noted above, my first instinct was to reach out to business leaders (i.e., senior leaders) to determine the things that most likely led them to express gratitude, as I thought the experience and success of such businesspeople would give us the greatest insight into the things that we should value. They neither disappointed nor surprised me. Business leaders are most grateful for:
- Employees/Co-Workers/Team Members: The first thing most successful business leaders are most thankful for are those with whom they work. This did not surprise me. Most truly successful people realize that the success of themselves as individuals and their businesses is not primarily attributable to themselves. Business leaders were quick to identify their colleagues as the thing they are most grateful for and indicated that they would not be where they are without them.
- Loyal Customers: Quickly after identifying their colleagues, most business leaders I spoke to were quick to identify their loyal customers as the next area to target their gratitude. These leaders were quick to point out their customers who continually patronized their businesses; those who were looking for more than low prices, but also the value inherent in their products and services. They were grateful for those who appreciated their quality and service and returned despite any price cuts or marketing “gimmicks” by their competitors.
- Supply Chain Partners: Many business leaders, particularly manufacturers, identified that they were extremely grateful for the companies who provided their raw materials and parts, those who provided their logistics and transportation, and those who distributed and sold their products to their end customers. Most of these leaders realized that even though they knew that their company produced a good product, they also realized that it took partnerships with other organizations to truly be successful.
- Mentors and Coaches: The last major area of gratitude that most business leaders seemed to agree upon was the value of mentors and coaches. Most of the leaders I spoke to understood that they did not have all of the answers themselves. They all relied on mentors and coaches to help them navigate the leadership and management challenges of their positions. Almost all the leaders I spoke to had one or more people they worked with on a regular basis to help them be better business leaders and they were all thankful they had such people to lean upon.
After hearing how grateful business leaders were, particularly for their employees and co-workers, I thought it might be instructive to ask more junior employees what they were most thankful for about the places where they worked. I thought this might be instructive for all businesses in helping them recruit and retain their best employees. As was the case with the leaders, there was a significant amount of agreement from the more junior employees about what were most thankful for at the places they worked. They were most thankful for:
- Company Culture: Most of the junior employees I spoke with were very happy with their current work experiences and many of them said it was primarily due to their company culture. They felt like their companies cared for them as individuals, created an environment that promoted teamwork and consideration, and was characterized by communication and trust. They indicated that such a culture made it easy to go to work.
- Investment in Personal Development: The next thing junior employees were most thankful for was that their company invested in their personal development. In addition, while much of the development was work-related, they were grateful for the investment in non-work-related skills, such as physical, mental, and financial wellness.
- Flexibility/Hybrid Work Environments: Most of the junior employees were thankful that their companies provided the option for some remote work. While none of those I talked with preferred a completely remote work environment, most were grateful that their companies allowed them to work one to two days a week out of the office.
In asking businesspeople what they were more thankful for in their work lives, I was struck most by the consistency in the answers within the two groups I surveyed. I hope you can take what they said and apply it to your business life.
I hope that you are able to spend Thanksgiving Day with those who mean the most to you and that you are able to reflect on the things for which you are most grateful. Have a blessed day!
