6 Sincere Ways to Express Gratitude

The more personal it is, the more meaningful it will feel.

There may be no better way to express gratitude than to find enjoyment in helping others succeed and to always treat others as you would expect to be treated. Following this simple rule helps build trust and respect among team members and makes for an efficient and highly coordinated work environment.

—Thatcher Spring, CEO, GearLaunch

This year I started the practice of sending one email per week to a person in my life who has made a positive impact. I typically reach out to someone who has influenced my career or creative development. I write them a note thanking them for the impact they have had. It reminds me of how many wonderful people I am surrounded by on a daily basis.

–Kathleen Grace, chief creative officer, New Form Digital

At work we have a #praise channel in the company Slack. We use that channel to thank and praise each and every team member who has gone beyond to make stuff happen for our clients. In my personal life, I make personal phone calls or hold meetings when I really want to thank someone.

—Yoav Vilner, CEO, Ranky

I have benefited from many wonderful opportunities throughout my career, and to show gratitude I have volunteered for decades to pay it forward to others. Four years ago I founded Dream it. Code it. Win it. to celebrate and reward problem solving with technology. Over the past three years students finalists have gone on to build companies after winning the competition. Volunteering and mentoring is how I show gratitude, it is important to pay it forward.

—Cristina Dolan, Global Head of Marketing, Content, Communities & Communications Products, TradingScreen

Gratitude should be personal. The more personal it is, the more meaningful it will feel. I try to take an extra moment to think about how the person would want to be recognized. For some people, it’s a public compliment, and for others, it’s a quiet moment of recognition. I keep cardstock in my desk so that I can write thank you cards, and I try to tell the person, “This is why what you did is so meaningful to me.” I think taking that extra step to say why their work mattered to you makes all the difference.

—Sandra Collier, Vice President, People & Organization at Wrigley Americas

Gratitude is one of the most important keys to success! By showing others our gratitude we are attracting positive thoughts and that ultimately attracts opportunities. Gratitude is part of my daily life! I make sure I express my gratitude to the person serving my coffee to the person who is helping run my business. Aside from attracting opportunities by expressing gratitude it makes the person receiving the message feel great and in turn you are attracting opportunities to their life because you are elevating their energy. Below are a few ways I show gratitude to others: