Grateful Leaders

We are pleased to be adding Grateful Leader Profiles of outstanding individuals — all of whom are living examples of this exemplary, inspiring and transformed model of leadership — to the wonderful collection of eleven such leaders we have featured in the Grateful Leadership book. We seek them out for the purpose of sharing them with you. They may also be featured in the next edition of the Grateful Leadership book, and will certainly be honored when we have our annual tribute to such leaders.

If you know of any such leaders who should be profiled, send them to [email protected] and describe their winning characteristics.

Grateful Leader: Walter Robb, Co-Chief Executive Officer – Whole Foods Market

“The real core and secret of Whole Foods is belief in people. When I do store walk-throughs, I don’t just “walk through.” I spend two to three hours there and ask myself, “Do I feel the spirit? Are team members happy?” I hear their stories and create space for them to feel acknowledged. And it only works if you are genuinely interested in them.”

 

 

 

Grateful Leader: Kimberly Supersano, Chief Marketing Officer – Prudential Annuities

“I’m grateful to be a part of a company that considers talent development a top priority. Outlining such things in a document is one thing, but truly living them through dedication and commitment is another. I am so glad to belong to a company that shares my values and believes in its people as much as I do.”

 

 

 

 

Grateful Leader: Primitivo Davis, Brigade Chaplain, Third Brigade Combat Team — U.S. Army

“I will always categorize myself as a ‘developing’ Grateful Leader because I personally believe that you can never be grateful enough, and you can never acknowledge enough… I can always do better! Being a Grateful Leader to me means that each day I am thankful for the privilege to lead others. It means that I use my sphere of influence to better individuals, who in turn better others, which in turn betters the world!”

 

 

 

Grateful Leader: Captain Daniel E. Sosnowik, Commanding Officer, Leadership Training – NYPD

“The day I met Judy to discuss my role as a Grateful Leader was a bad day from many perspectives, and I was, in truth, lacking the very thing I had been asked to speak about. I told my story as best I could, and after our 20 minutes focused on gratitude, I found that my entire perspective had changed for the better. Our conversation became a staunch reminder that when a person is focused on being grateful, there isn’t any room left in one’s mind to stew in negativity.”

 

 

 

Grateful Leader: Xavier Joly – Global Director, People Development, Volvo Powertrain

“Take the time to recognize and acknowledge your people’s competence and their ability to find solutions, and you will see how much it energizes them.”