OTAN News

Gratitude Languages: How to Support a Culture of Appreciation

This article, written by Chris Bronke & Dr. Erin Ludwick suggests some basic ideas which intentionally build a culture of appreciation. A must read for any leader or educator, an expression of gratitude either by text or written note can “work magic for our mindsets.” What better way to motivate colleagues and adult learners than by taking time to both give and receive messages of appreciation?

Photo by Towfiqu barbhuiya on Unsplash 

To gauge whether an organization’s norm includes appreciation is an easy one. The writers recommend texting an appreciative message to a colleague and wait for a response. If the response back is, “...are you okay?” then this reflects a “stark and troubling reality. It catches people off guard, causes worry, and at times even makes people uncomfortable.” This is because a culture of gratitude is not the norm. But what if it was? Research highlighted in the article provides a persuasive discussion for building appreciative cultures and “points to gratitude as the key to increasing productivity, growth mindset, and humility among employees and management.”

Bronke and Ludwick provide leaders with The Six Gratitude Languages (with Examples) listed helpfully in the article with benefits, when to use, and potential drawbacks. The six are:

1. Personal Gratitude
2. Public Gratitude
3. Connection Gratitude
4. Team Gratitude
5. Unexpected Gratitude
6. Mastery-Based Gratitude

While many leaders may at first feel uncomfortable with building a culture of appreciation, the intentional and varied use of authentic gratitude builds a foundation of trust and appreciation which makes its way to everyone on campus.