We feel taken for GRANTed

The Center for Grateful Leadership’s very own cartoon contributor, Grant Brownrigg, has clearly depicted a problem that occurs on a daily basis in almost all workplaces, on all teams, throughout  all communities. It is the expectation that someone knows how great they are, and that they therefore don’t need to be acknowledged in a heartfelt way! Nothing could be further from the truth. Even if we ourselves know we have done a good job on an important project, or have a particular skill or gift or talent that “shows up” regularly in our work, we still and especially need that validation, that appreciation. Otherwise, we feel taken for granted, unappreciated, overlooked. It’s so painful to be in that position that it hurts. It’s why over half the people in an IIL survey of hundreds of people for our On Demand course said yes, they had left a job in their career due to lack of appreciation. We feel taken for GRANTed (what a poor punster I am), when we are not singled out or shown that we make a difference.

Our thanks and appreciation to this renowned cartoonist for caring enough about the Grateful Leadership initiative that he dedicates one cartoon a month to sharing important parts of it in a unique and original light. Is there an idea you have for Grant to consider to help make Grateful Leadership and The Power of Acknowledgment more accessible to more people? I’m sure he would consider it! Just write to [email protected] and copy me on your email: [email protected] ! We can help enLIGHTen (lighten and brighten) more people in this way.

Until the next time,

Judy Umlas