unleashing the power of gratitude at work and in life

Stephen M. Ross School of Business

University of Michigan

Copyright (c) 2016 Kim Cameron

Mary Ceccanese, Center for Positive Organizations, Ross School of Business, University of Michigan, [email protected]

A Spark“At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us.”

--Albert Schweitzer


Outline• Benefits of

gratitude• Gratitude journals • The famous Nun

Study• Video• Conclusion


Benefits of People Experiencing Gratitude


Greater physical health

Ability to cope with everyday stress

Higher levels of positive emotions

Improved relationships

Feel more loving and forgiving

Feel Closer to

God

Work of Glen Affleck• Cardiac patients who blame their heart attacks on

others were more likely to suffer yet another heart attack within 8 years!

• Those who perceived benefits from an initial heart attack (i.e., appreciating life) were more apt to have a reduced risk for a subsequent attack.

• Gratitude drives out toxic emotions (resentment, anger, and envy) and may be associated with better long-term emotional and physical health in transplant recipients.


Physical Health

Studies by Emmons and McCullough suggest gratitude… •Strengthens the immune system•Lowers blood pressure•Reduces symptoms of illness•Makes us less bothered by aches and pains•Encourages us to exercise more and take better care of our health!


Frustration vs. Appreciation

• Anger and frustration cause our heart rhythms to become incoherent or jagged.

• Negative emotions create a chain reaction – blood vessels constrict, blood pressure rises,

and the immune system is weakened.


• Heartfelt emotions such as love and appreciation, cause heart rhythms to become coherent or smooth. • Positive heart qualities

produce beneficial effects that include enhanced immunity and hormonal balance.• Appreciation and gratitude

can restore the natural rhythms of the heart.

Study Done by the HeartMath Research Center


McCraty & Childre, 2004.

Exercise•You have exactly 1 minute to write down all the things you can think of they you are grateful for.

•How many did you come up with?


Self-Sufficiency• Many of us live under the illusion of self-

sufficiency: the tendency not to acknowledge how much we need others.

• We, especially in this society, do not like to think of ourselves as indebted.

• Acknowledging dependence can be intimidating. But, it is absolutely essential in order to feel gratitude.


Gratitude and Generosity

Learning Learning

Gratitude Generosity

My Enablingof Others

Learning and

Growing in +

connections with others

Being and Growing in

+ connection with others

ReceiverBeing a Beneficiary

GiverBeing a Contributor

Others' Enabling of Me

Me

Copyright (c) 2016 Jane Dutton

Gratitude: Key to Happiness

Happy individuals are more • creative • helpful • charitable• self-confident• have better self-control • show greater self-regulatory and coping

abilities


Gratitude Journal StudyGroup 1 Blessings• Generosity of

friends• Right to vote• God-given gift of

determination• Sunset through the

clouds

Group 2 Burdens• Hard to find parking• Messy kitchen no one

will clean• Finances depleting

quickly• Burned my macaroni

and cheese


Results of the Gratitude Group

• Felt better about their lives as a whole • Were more optimistic about the future• 25% happier than the other participants• Reported fewer health complaints • Experienced fewer symptoms of physical illness • Spent significantly more time exercising (nearly

1.5 hours per week) than those in the burdens’ group.


Can You Believe?• Gratitude Group was still enjoying benefits

SIX MONTHS after the study ended!!!


Caveats• Isn’t this being a

little bit “unrealistic”?

• Gratitude takes time and energy – it is a choice!

• Life happens!


A Note on Gratitude and Religion/Spirituality

• Gratitude is part of the Christian/Catholic religion.

• Gratitude is part of the Jewish religion.• Gratitude is part of the Islam religion.• Grateful people sense that they are not separate

from others or from God. This recognition itself brings a deep sense of gratefulness.

• People who describe themselves as either religious or spiritual are more likely to be grateful than those who describe themselves as neither.


The Famous Nun Study -- Snowdon

• Nearly 700 nuns of the School Sisters of Notre Dame order have participated in the project --same occupation, not married, did not smoke, shared access to similar healthcare, housing, and diet– this group offered a unique opportunity to examine health and longevity.

• From their one-page autobiography (written at age 22), the research team was able to predict with 85 percent accuracy who would get Alzheimer’s disease 60 years later and who would not!!!!


More to The Nun Study (Snowdon & Danner)

• The more positive emotions expressed in the life stores of these nuns, the more likely they were to still be alive six decades later.

• Of the 90 nuns who had few positive emotions, about 20-30 of them were still alive.

• Of the 90 nuns who expressed positive emotions, about 70 of them were still alive – 2 ½ to 3 times more nuns were still living!!!!


Saying “Thank You” for the Ordinary

• The story of Giny – administrative assistant in a busy department and her interaction with book company representatives.

• There are two little magic words that can open any door with ease – one little word is thanks, and the other little word is please!


1. Count Your BlessingsThree Good Things – This is similar to writing in a gratitude journal but takes less time (i.e., 5 -10 minutes).

*Research by Martin Seligman found that completing this exercise every day for one week led to increases in happiness that persisted for six months.https://www.facebook.com/wearealldivas/videos/861495687232813/?fref=nf

Copyright (c) 2016. The Regents of the University of Michigan

https://www.facebook.com/wearealldivas/videos/861495687232813/?fref=nf

https://www.facebook.com/wearealldivas/videos/861495687232813/?fref=nf

2. Mental SubtractionWhat if important, positive events in your life – such as a job opportunity or educational achievement – would have never taken place? Reflect on what your life would be like without them.

*Studies led by Minkyung Koo found that completing a 15-minute mental subtraction writing exercise led to increases in happiness and gratitude.

Copyright (c) 2016. The Regents of the University of Michigan

3. Savor• “Hedonic adaptation” • Try the Give-It-Up practice -- temporarily

giving up something you enjoy, and then come back later, this time with greater anticipation and excitement.

• Go for a Savoring Walk*A 2013 study conducted by Quoidbach and

Dunn found that abstaining from chocolate for a week led people to derive greater pleasure from it when they indulged again.

Copyright (c) 2016 Regents of the University of Michigan

4. Say “Thank You”

Gratitude expressed to others can be especially powerful.


Giving a “Power Thank You”

• Thank the person for something they specifically did. “John, thanks for working late each night this week to help make this international conference such a huge success.”

• Acknowledge the effort or personal sacrifice they made. “I realize that you gave up time with your family to help with this project and I know how important they are to you. Your

• Goulston, Mark. 2013. “How to Give a Meaningful ‘Thank You.’” Harvard Business Review Blog, February 20.


Giving a “Power Thank You”

dedication inspired everyone else on the team to pitch in and not only host the best conference we have ever had, but the organization wants to use our streamlined process for future conferences.”•“You were largely responsible for this success, which made me look good in front of a large group of my colleagues. Your next performance evaluation will definitely reflect all your efforts. You are the very best!”


Gratitude

• Video -- Louie Schwartzberg


Exercise

• In your small groups, discuss any moments that stood out in this presentation, maybe something you can remember or an action plan.

• Report out.


Putting Gratitude into Practice

When practicing gratitude – one size does not fit all! Try some of the suggestions mentioned. For more options, check out the Greater Good Science Center website.http://greatergood.berkeley.edu/topic/gratitude


ResourcesCameron, Kim. Positive Leadership: Strategies for

Extraordinary Performance. San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler Publishers, 2009.

Davidhizar, Ruth. “The Benefits of Saying “Thank You for the Ordinary rather than the Extraordinary.” Journal of Practical Nursing, Winter, 2005: 27-30.

Emmons, Robert A. Thanks! How Practicing Gratitude Can Make You Happier. New York: Houghton Mifflin, 2007.

McCraty, Rollin and Doc Childre. “The Grateful Heart.” In Robert A. Emmons and Michael E. McCullough (eds.), The Psychology of Gratitude (pp. 230-255). New York: Oxford University Press.

Snowdon, David. Aging with Grace: What the Nun Study Teaches Us About Leading Longer, Healthier, and More Meaningful Lives. New York: Bantam Books, 2002.


unleashing the power of gratitude at work and in life

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