I’ve read so many books and articles that recommend adopting a spirit of gratefulness. It’s better for your personal health, both physical and mental; for your relationships, including your marriage; for your business; for your athletic teammates; and on and on. Most of what I’ve read is written by what I’ll call the soft-skill folks — which could include me, by the way.

I just finished Leading with Gratitude by Adrian Gostick and Chester Elton, who make a very compelling case that the use of gratitude (providing positive written and verbal feedback to subordinates, peers, and leaders) in the workplace is very good for profits. So if you want to increase your profits, I’d highly recommend getting the book.

Here are my takeaways:

1. Leading with Gratitude is a very easy, almost fun read. If you read it and you agree with me, I’d suggest having all your leaders read it, and possibly everyone in your company.
2. It’s well-written (i.e., no extra words and no big consulting words). Your average Tom would understand it.
3. It’s data-based, not opinion-based. The authors reference many studies from prominent sources.
4. The authors quote many familiar, famous business executives, like Alan Mulally.
5. The authors discuss the seven myths about feedback, like the theory that fear is the best motivator.  That’s not true, according to the experts.
6. You’ll read lots of practical, real-world stories about things you experience almost every day.
7. The authors reference many great books. You may want to purchase some of them to dig deeper into a particular subject.
8. Near the end of the book, Gostick and Elton get a little prescriptive (i.e., they’re consultants). I would avoid getting too mechanical or systematizing the promoting of gratitude.
9. At the end of the book, the authors offer a spot-on list of suggestions for ways busy owners and executives can express their gratitude at home.

Actually, I challenge everyone reading this post (I realize you have no time and a stack of unread books) to purchase the book and read it (probably in just a few hours). I just checked and it’s also available on Audible Audiobook for free — that way, you can listen to it in your vehicle or at the gym.

I’d love to hear some success stories!