The start of the new year represents a unique and precious moment, it invites us to pause, reflect, and express our gratitude to each team member for their contributions over the past year. This pause for reflection and appreciation is not just a tribute to our achievements, but also lays the foundation for starting the new year under the banner of gratitude. Recognizing and valuing the efforts and achievements of the team not only solidifies relationships within the group but also generates positive and motivating energy, crucial for facing new challenges and seizing upcoming opportunities. Through the Power of Gratitude, we can strengthen the bonds within our teams, creating a cohesive and harmonious work environment.

The power of gratitude: strengthening bonds within teams

In our research to develop more cohesive, effective, and efficient teams at TeamEQ, we’ve identified several key levers that can revolutionize group dynamics and strengthen connections among members. One of these key levers has proven to be gratitude. This emotion, a key aspect of the TeamEQ methodology, is often overlooked or underestimated. Nonetheless, its impact is decisive, especially in terms of team cohesion and success.

Living in a state of gratitude

Being grateful goes beyond the simple courtesy of saying “thank you.” It’s almost a life philosophy that encourages a focus on the positives, promoting genuine awareness and appreciation for the context surrounding us, including the actions and qualities of people in our daily work environment. Gratitude requires careful observation and understanding of the surrounding environment to fully appreciate it.

Key benefits of gratitude in team collaboration

Recent studies indicate that gratitude enhances altruism and cooperation and strengthens relationships both in their formation and over time. Therefore, giving and receiving with gratitude are essential keys to collaboration. Gratitude in a team generates a positive chain reaction. POSITIVE ENVIRONMENT. Expressing gratitude for the work done by colleagues creates a sense of mutual appreciation, contributing to a more positive work environment. This increases trust and well-being among team members. Those who practice gratitude tend to have better emotional functionality, solid relationships, and greater open-mindedness (Wood, Joseph, and Maltby, 2009). MOTIVATION. Cultivating gratitude contributes to creating a positive work environment where team members feel valued and motivated to excel. Gratitude facilitates the building of stronger relationships, based on mutual trust and understanding. EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE. Practicing gratitude requires an initial understanding of the situation and feelings, both one’s own and others’. This exercise sharpens the ability to empathize, manage emotions, and develop greater awareness in interpersonal relationships.

Cultivating gratitude in teams: a key to collective success

We propose two exercises to integrate gratitude into good team practices. Each exercise includes a moment of individual reflection (before the team meeting) followed by a moment of collective sharing (during the meeting).

1. EXERCISE 1: Each team member lists three aspects/situations from their daily work for which they are grateful. Later, during a meeting, they share the most significant aspect.
2. EXERCISE 2: Each team member writes a positive feedback or a thank-you note for a colleague on a post-it, signing it. In a meeting, the post-its are exchanged. If agreed upon, the messages can be read aloud. These exercises are designed to effectively promote gratitude within the team, generating a more positive work environment.

Promoting gratitude in teams: TeamEQ’s innovative approach

TeamEQ, the first Team Analytics & Team Intelligent platform, is designed to emphasize listening, sharing, and gratitude in work contexts. How can a technological tool promote a human emotion like gratitude? TeamEQ facilitates reflective analysis of team dynamics, encouraging the sharing of feedback among colleagues. After this observation and sharing phase, the use of appreciation is encouraged, for example by thanking for received feedback or for involvement in pulse surveys.