Boosting Team Culture with Gratitude: Proven Tips and Benefits

The season of thanks and gratitude has arrived, making it my favorite time of the year! Expressing heartfelt appreciation to those who support you, whether they're friends, colleagues, clients, or funders, is a practice I cherish. I encourage you to embrace the spirit of gratitude and do the same.

As someone who has embraced the unofficial role of a Gratitude Guru, I have a few valuable tips to help you elevate your gratitude game.

Some may be thinking, "I don't have the time" or "I already thank everyone I need to." While those thoughts are understandable, investing time and energy in showing gratitude can yield positive results and boost your bottom line. Additionally, it contributes to fostering a positive team culture, making it a worthwhile endeavor.

Here are some of the positive outcomes I've experienced over the years as a result of heartfelt and dedicated gratitude efforts:

• Increased retention by 20% within just two months.

• Improved revenue results and higher renewal rates within two months.

• A positive team culture, even during stressful times, leading to priceless moments of team bonding and collaboration.

• Exceeded year-end goals and set new benchmarks for success.

Now, let's delve into the strategies.

1. Setting Clear Parameters:

For organizations and companies with a substantial support base (meaning you have hundreds or even thousands of people to thank), it's crucial to establish parameters before analyzing your data. Determine who you want to personally thank and ensure they feel genuinely valued. Consider segmenting your supporters based on their relationship with you. For instance, new customers or supporters within the last two months could receive a personalized email, while long-time supporters might warrant a personal phone call. Make judicious use of automated communications while ensuring that the content is heartfelt and personal. 

Additionally, I recommend that you select a specific timeframe, either a day or a designated week, to concentrate your gratitude efforts. Having a defined timeframe can add structure and a sense of urgency to your initiative. It also allows your team to collectively focus their efforts during this dedicated period.

2. Aligning Your Strategy with Your Brand:

When devising a gratitude initiative for a global organization, it's important to address the potential disconnect between supporters and the people behind the scenes. In this case, we opted for thank-you calls, offering supporters the opportunity to engage with a staff member, including the CEO.

In another scenario, we leveraged our expertise in creating digital products and educational video content to showcase the remarkable staff behind the scenes. This approach allowed the team's personality to shine through, enhancing the content's authenticity. Our funders greatly appreciated seeing the team's enthusiasm. We even customized some of the videos for high-level funders. When designing your gratitude strategy, consider your audience and what would be meaningful to them. Find ways to express gratitude within your capabilities.

3. Empowering Internal Champions:

Successful gratitude efforts require a collective approach. First, you need a point person or group to organize the activity you will be doing to share your gratitude. Then, you can actively manage the process and next steps to empower your team. Depending on your team's dynamics, some may enthusiastically embrace the idea, while others may need encouragement. To address this, I organized an information session where team members from various departments could get to know me better and feel prepared before we launched our activities.

I maintained organization, set deadlines, and shared the number of connections we needed to reach out to. I assigned specific staff members to call lists and conducted a Q&A session to address typical scenarios. In doing so, I earned their trust and created excitement around our gratitude activities. Those who had concerns about making calls were assigned to the "email-only" lists. This approach ensured that everyone felt included and empowered. You'll notice I used the word 'organized' a lot. Effective organization and careful consideration of logistics are crucial. Without these, motivation may wane, and the outcome could prove counterproductive.

The results were unexpected and impressive. Our revenue received a substantial boost, and our team experienced a positive transformation. Team members shared their stories and were personally impacted by their interactions and feedback.

Expressing gratitude and simply saying thank you can go a long way in demonstrating the deep appreciation you hold for your team, supporters, and clients. It's a practice that yields remarkable results and strengthens your team culture.

It's not too late to express your heartfelt thanks! And gratitude is my jam so if you need help putting something together for your clients or supporters, I've got you covered! Reach out for more information to book a strategy session.

Here's to an abundant season of gratitude, team harmony, and achieving unexpected growth!