As Christmas approaches, I always feel a natural pull to slow down.
To pause.
To reflect.
To take stock of what this year has really held.
And if I’m honest, 2025 hasn’t been an easy one for me. Things haven’t gone to plan. I’ve experienced loss, including the loss of two of my horses, and there were moments where I couldn’t see the gift in what was happening.
But I’ve learned this through life, leadership, and the herd.
There is always a gift.
Sometimes we just need time, space, and perspective to see it.
Which is why I wanted to record this episode of Impactful Teamwork on gratitude and appreciation. Not as a fluffy, end-of-year ritual, but as a smart, strategic leadership practice that restores energy, trust, and momentum.
Gratitude Is Not Soft. It’s Smart.
Let’s clear something up.
Gratitude is not:
- Weak
- Woolly
- Or a “nice to have”
It’s a high-impact lever.
Research shows that people who practise daily gratitude experience significantly lower cortisol levels, meaning they’re calmer, clearer, and more resilient. And studies have shown that simply saying “thank you” can increase performance by up to 50%.
That’s not sentiment.
That’s strategy.
So if your team feels flat, disconnected, or quietly disengaged, it’s rarely a performance problem.
It’s an appreciation problem.
Why Leaders Underestimate Appreciation
Most leaders I work with believe one of three things:
- “I say thank you, that should be enough”
- “They’re paid to do the job”
- “We’ll celebrate once we hit the target”
And yet, celebration is one of the most underused tools in business.
I see this all the time when people work with my horses. I ask them to acknowledge success, effort, or progress and they visibly squirm. They’re uncomfortable receiving appreciation, giving it, or celebrating it.
And yet in a horse herd, safety and cohesion are reinforced constantly.
Not annually.
Not via bonuses.
But through moment-by-moment acknowledgement, attunement, and presence.
Gratitude isn’t an end-of-year reward.
It’s a daily regulation mechanism.
Appreciation Builds Trust, Energy, and Momentum
When gratitude becomes part of how you lead, something powerful happens.
People feel:
- Seen
- Valued
- Safe
And when people feel safe, their performance improves.
Energy lifts.
Trust deepens.
Ownership increases.
I’ve seen this repeatedly, whether I’m leading teams in corporate environments, running hospitality teams at racecourses, or working with younger generations.
What still shocks me is how many people react as though they’ve never been properly appreciated before.
That should stop us in our tracks as leaders.
The Iceberg of Gratitude
Most people think gratitude is about big things.
A promotion.
A house.
A milestone achievement.
But that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
Underneath are the small, everyday moments that truly regulate our nervous systems and reconnect us to joy.
- A laugh with a friend
- A book you couldn’t put down
- Sunshine on your back
- A quiet moment of peace
- Yes, even chocolate 🍫
When we train ourselves to notice what’s beneath the surface, gratitude sinks deeper into our lives and leadership.
And that’s where its real power lives.
Gratitude Regulates Energy Before It Motivates Behaviour
This is the bit most leaders miss.
Gratitude doesn’t just motivate people.
It regulates energy first.
In moments of pressure, uncertainty, or change, appreciation:
- Calms the body
- Lowers stress
- Improves decision-making
- Strengthens relationships
And when leaders are calmer and clearer, teams respond with more trust, creativity, and effort.
That’s why I see gratitude as one of the most underrated tools in any reinvention kit.
The Uncomfortable Truth About Leadership
Here it is.
Most leaders are excellent at spotting:
- Gaps
- Risks
- Problems
- What isn’t working
They are far less skilled at naming contribution.
And here’s the cost.
What you don’t name, you drain.
What you appreciate, you multiply.
If you want more ownership, energy, and accountability in your team, start by recognising it when it shows up.
Action Point: The Appreciation Inventory
Pause for a moment and reflect.
- Who on your team consistently gives energy but rarely gets acknowledged?
- Whose effort do you rely on without explicitly recognising it?
- When was the last time you named how someone’s contribution mattered?
This isn’t about praise.
It’s about precision.
General feedback feels nice.
Specific appreciation changes behaviour.
Appreciation vs Praise (They Are Not the Same)
Praise sounds like:
- “Great job”
- “Well done”
- “Thanks everyone”
Appreciation sounds like:
- “The way you handled that client protected the whole team”
- “Your calm in that meeting stabilised everything”
- “You took pressure off me without being asked, and that mattered”
If appreciation isn’t specific, it won’t regulate trust.
Action Point: The 24-Hour Appreciation Reset
Here’s your challenge.
In the next 24 hours:
- Appreciate one person
- Out loud
- In real time
- For the impact, not just the effort
Use this simple structure:
- What I saw
- Why it mattered
- The impact it had
Then notice what shifts, in them and in you.
What Becomes Possible When Appreciation Is Normalised
When appreciation becomes part of how you lead:
- Energy lifts without force
- Trust deepens without workshops
- People step up without being chased
Teams move:
- From compliance to contribution
- From effort to ownership
- From burnout to sustainable momentum
This is Teamship in action.
A Final Reflection
Before your next meeting, ask yourself:
Who in my world needs to be seen today, not managed?
Recognition doesn’t require a system.
It requires presence.
One sincere sentence can regulate a nervous system more effectively than any productivity hack.
As we close out this year, I want to say thank you. To you for listening, to my clients for trusting me, and to my horses, past and present, for teaching me more about leadership than any boardroom ever could.
Leadership isn’t about driving people harder.
It’s about creating the conditions where people want to give their best.
And gratitude is where that begins.
Show Notes
00:00 Introduction and Welcome
01:54 The Power of Gratitude
03:35 Gratitude in Leadership
09:42 Practical Tips for Showing Appreciation
14:42 Final Thoughts and Gratitude
