Marketing and communications director, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Iowa

I recently attended a couple of conferences where I was fortunate enough to share ideas and learn from nonprofit leaders from across the nation. I will admit I get wrapped up in the idea of meeting others who live and breathe our work, bouncing ideas off one another and building relationships beneficial to the future.  

It’s not the most relaxing time — your head is overloaded with new ideas and important information — but at night, I would reflect on my one major takeaway from each day: Live an attitude of gratitude. 

If you are like me, it’s a phrase you’ve heard before, but it’s not the easiest thing to do. We all get caught up in our daily work (emails, phone calls, meetings), but how often do we reflect on how we are making a difference and feel really good about it? Do we think enough about how we can help others live an attitude of gratitude and are we doing the same?  

When I think about those I admire both professionally and personally, I find they live by the phrase (whether it’s intentional or not). I also think about “The Leadership Challenge and the Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership Model” by James Kouzes and Barry Posner. The leadership challenge focuses on five areas: Modeling the Way, Enable Others to Act, Challenging the Process, Inspire a Shared Vision and Encouraging the Heart.

Those I admire as leaders exhibit this behavior and perhaps they aren’t even aware of it, but they accepted the leadership challenge and are achieving the extraordinary. They live an attitude of gratitude and spread the message to others like me.   

Yes, no one is perfect, but we can all try every day. Try writing an unexpected thank-you note to a friend or co-worker who was thoughtful but their actions might have gone unnoticed to others (but you). Email a business partner from the last year and thank them for working with you. Try thanking your significant other for something as simple as unloading the dishwasher. Try incorporating an activity into a staff meeting or have coffee with a friend and make a point to thank them for being your friend.   

It’s contagious. It makes you feel good. So model the way and show others how to be grateful. Enable others to act by setting an example. Inspire a shared vision with those you are closest to you and get them to join in with you. Challenge the process by breaking away from your daily routine and trying something different and new. Encourage the heart by showing others that it is possible.

And, if you think about it, you don’t have to be at a conference to feel that great every day and make the world a better place.

Connect with Fitzgerald via email or phone at 515-288-9025, ext. 224. She also is onFacebook and LinkedIn.