The most overlooked leadership tool in communications: gratitude
3 exercises to help ‘thank you’ become a power move.
Mary Olson-Menzel is the founder and CEO of MVP Executive Development and co-founder of Spark Insight Coaching. Michelle Powers is a fractional chief of staff.
Communications leaders are trained to shape narratives, elevate brands and influence outcomes. Yet some may overlook one of the most strategic communication tools available to them: gratitude. The simple power of a thank you.
Real, grounded, intentional gratitude has the power to build trust, deepen influence and unlock opportunity.
Gratitude not only makes you more likable and effective, it also strengthens relationships, boosts team performance, increases resilience under pressure and even expands your ability to see possibility instead of threat.
Above all: gratitude helps you and your people get where you want to go. It clarifies what matters, keeps you connected to purpose and strengthens the relationships that open doors. In other words, gratitude is so much more than a soft skill: it’s a leadership strategy.
Why gratitude matters more in communications:
Comms leaders sit at the intersection of influence: employees, executives, partners, press, stakeholders and the public. Everything depends on trust and relationship capital; gratitude accelerates both.
When you practice gratitude as a communication habit, you:
- Expand your sphere of influence
● Strengthen alignment and morale, especially under pressure
● Create psychological safety: the birthplace of creativity and honest feedback
● Stay grounded in a field where the work can feel urgent, invisible and undervalued
Gratitude exercises
Here are three career-strengthening gratitude practices you can use for yourself and teach to your teams.
Exercise #1: The ABCs of gratitude
A simple, powerful reflection tool to reset perspective, especially during high-stakes seasons.
A – Achievements
What have you done this year that hit or exceeded your goals? What are you proud of: not just what got approved or applauded?
B – Blessings
Who or what are you grateful for inside and outside of work? This is about being, not doing: identifying your moments of clarity, connection, joy.
C – Commitments
What are you committed to next for yourself, your team or your life? Gratitude honors the journey; commitment fuels the next chapter.
Exercise #2: The power thank you — by Dr. Mark Goulston
A three-step model that transforms a generic “thanks” into a career-building moment.
- Name the specific action → “Thank you for staying late to get the briefing polished before the board meeting.”
- Acknowledge the effort or sacrifice → “I know that meant rearranging your evening and going the extra mile.”
- Share the real impact → “Your work helped the CEO walk in with confidence — and it made all the difference.”
Exercise #3: The daily light log
Make a running list of what brings you joy in your work, relationships and life. When you track what lights you up, patterns emerge. Those patterns guide decisions. Those decisions shape careers with intention, not exhaustion.
Gratitude accelerates your career
Gratitude is not passive. It is a discipline that sharpens your leadership presence, strengthens your influence and aligns you with the work and life that you actually want.
Whether you’re navigating your next career step, managing burnout or eyeing your next promotion, gratitude keeps you from operating on autopilot. It brings you back to purpose, people and possibility: the three things no career can grow without.
