Jake Duke says Duke Collective, Inc., team members practice gratitude together as officemates. "Before we do anything in our team meetings, we go around and share what we're grateful for," explains the company's managing broker/owner.
"The mind is super powerful, and we always want to direct it toward thankfulness and gratitude, which truly helps us in every step that we take from day to day," he adds.
From their base in Bargersville, Duke Collective real estate professionals help clients buy, sell, and market residential properties throughout the Indianapolis region.
Liz Salsgiver, Duke real estate agent, explains:"Thankfulness is an important part of how I start my day because it sets the tone for everything that follows, both in my work and at home. It reminds me to shift my focus from what I can gain to what I can give. Instead of starting the day asking, 'Who can I get business from?' I want to ask myself, 'Who am I grateful to have in my life, and how can I add value to them?' The more we practice gratitude, the more it becomes a lifestyle and not just a habit or something we do intentionally for a few minutes each day, but a way of seeing the people and opportunities around us. That mindset doesn’t just positively impact me; it impacts our team, too. When we lead with gratitude, support one another and work together with a genuine desire to serve, we’re able to show up better for our clients and the community around us. When gratitude and service become part of who we are, everything else seems to fall into place."
Shelli Anderson, Duke Realtor, adds: "Gratitude helps me keep the focus on my clients and not the transactions. Real estate is built on relationships, trust and reputation. So a pillar of my business philosophy is centered around who I can serve or help each day. People can feel the difference between someone chasing a commission and someone genuinely interested in helping them."
Promoting thankfulness in work teams builds trust, stops people from feeling invisible and improves overall performance. Following are some practical tips for work team leaders to incorporate several forms of gratitude.
- Be specific: Avoid generic praise statements like "good job." Instead, name the exact behavior and explain why it helped the team.
- Use a gratitude jar or board: Set up a physical jar or a digital board where staff can drop quick notes of thanks.
- Recognize effort in real-time: Don't wait for annual reviews to acknowledge progress and small daily wins.
- Go big on Employee Appreciation Day celebrated annually on the first Friday in March. Showcase examples of extra effort, innovation, career milestones, notable customer service, personal excellence and times during which company values were incorporated.
- Tailor praise: Learn how each person prefers to receive recognition; some love a public shoutout, while others prefer a private note.
- Encourage teammates to choose their own special projects.
- Make expressions of gratitude true to how you typically communicate. Bring cookies, give a management award, print out a custom certificate. Many times, it’s as easy as saying “thank you.”
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