Copyright Forbes
As the holidays approach, startup founders and enterprise leaders alike have a chance to do much more than just celebrate the end of another year with their hardworking teams. Actively building a sense of gratitude and community in teams through intentional acts of appreciation and service at the holidays can inspire connection, boost morale and show team members how much they are valued. Thoughtful initiatives and special projects can foster a thriving and deeply supportive startup culture, jump-starting a healthy internal rapport that will carry teams into the new year and radiate outward to customers and partners. Here, 17 Forbes Coaches Council members share simple yet impactful ways for leaders to both demonstrate and cultivate gratitude this holiday season and year-round. 1. Make Showing Gratitude A Companywide Ritual Dopamine elevates when gratitude is expressed. It is associated with well-being and greater levels of happiness. Appreciate every employee for a specific contribution they made this past year. Enroll supervisors in this companywide ritual so everyone is acknowledged in a meaningful way. Bonus dopamine/gratitude booster: Surprise everyone with an extra day off during the holidays. - Madeline McNeely, Conditioning Leaders 2. Connect Through The ‘Gratitude Seat’ Activity Leaders can cultivate gratitude through team coaching circles focused on celebration. In the “gratitude seat” activity, team members take turns sitting while others share, one by one, what they appreciate about them. This simple but effective practice creates a higher team energy, helping them to develop stronger relationships, psychological safety and a workplace where people feel valued and connected. - Elif Suner, MBA, M.Ed, MCC, Enrichia 3. Share Wins And Shout-Outs In Meetings Invite team members to share wins or give colleagues a shout-out during team meetings. It fosters connection, boosts morale and reminds everyone they’re seen and valued. Whether you’re leading a team of five or 500, gratitude builds a stronger culture—and people perform better when they feel appreciated. - Sariki Abungwo, Blesatech Consultancy Services Forbes Coaches Council is an invitation-only community for leading business and career coaches. Do I qualify? 4. Transform Gratitude Into Service Gratitude is an action! Examples of gratitude in action I’ve witnessed in the past year include a company’s employees serving a meal to residents of a senior care facility in their community, and another company taking teens from their community to a baseball game. Getting out and serving those who benefit from our time and attention is a beautiful expression of gratitude. - Lisa Walsh, Beacon Executive Coaching 5. Start A Gratitude Wall Start with one simple step—start posting appreciative notes of gratitude on a wall or in a common space for all to see. When people see how their efforts are noticed by peers, leadership and clients—something powerful happens. Appreciation is now seen and becomes contagious. Soon, everyone’s recognizing one another and gratitude is part of your culture. And when appreciation is visible, excellence grows. - Andrea Bullard, Andrea Bullard & Company 6. Personalize Your Own Gratitude One meaningful way to build community at the holidays is to make gratitude personal. I’ve seen leaders skip the all-staff emails and instead take time to name specific contributions, moments of effort or growth they’ve witnessed. When appreciation and gratitude feel personal, it deepens connection, and that sense of belonging not only fuels trust, but also drives performance. - Laurie Arron, Arron Coaching LLC 7. Facilitate Reflective Conversations To inspire gratitude and community focus, each individual needs to feel personally engaged. Encourage managers to meet with their teams and open a discussion on the topic. Ask questions like: “What does gratitude mean to you? Where do you feel it? How do you contribute to building community?” These inspire positive action and enhance commitment and loyalty, benefiting the business and the community. - Candice Gottlieb-Clark, Dynamic Team Solutions 8. Create A ‘Gratitude Treasure Hunt’ This holiday season, leaders could create a “Gratitude Treasure Hunt,” where employees leave anonymous notes of appreciation for colleagues, sharing small stories of impact or kindness. It’s fun, unexpected and builds community by connecting teams in a meaningful way. Beyond the joy, it strengthens relationships and makes gratitude a living part of the culture, benefiting the entire organization. - Veronica Angela, CONQUER EDGE, LLC 9. Turn Gratitude Into A Leadership Habit Gratitude shouldn’t be a seasonal gesture—it’s a leadership habit. Institutionalize appreciation as part of communication routines: Start meetings by highlighting a team win, close the week with peer shoutouts, or include “Who helped you succeed this week?” in project reviews. When gratitude is continuous, not ceremonial, it shapes culture. - Stephan Lendi, Newbury Media & Communications GmbH 10. Match Recognition To Personality Styles Encourage employees to share appreciation stories or recognize colleagues’ contributions, tailored to their DISC styles. Dominant types value public recognition; Influential types thrive on social connection; Steady types appreciate heartfelt acknowledgment; and Conscientious types respect thoughtful, detailed feedback. This strengthens engagement, trust and collaboration, benefiting the whole organization. - Ran Biderman, RB International AKA Coach Ran Biderman 11. Create Intentional Moments Of Connection A meaningful way a leader can focus on gratitude and community this holiday season is by creating intentional moments of connection—moments that remind people they’re seen, valued and part of something bigger than their job title. When leaders lead with gratitude, they shift the energy of the workplace. Employees feel appreciated, not just for what they produce, but for who they are. - Kathryn Lancioni, Presenting Perfection 12. Launch A ‘Gratitude Exchange’ Organize a “Gratitude Exchange” where employees nominate colleagues whose contributions made a difference, with each nominee receiving a personalized note and small gift from leadership. This strengthens connections across departments, creates emotional safety for future collaboration and reinforces that individual contributions matter—ultimately building a more resilient organization. - Jonathan H. Westover, Ph.D, Human Capital Innovations 13. Speak Your Gratitude Out Loud Gratitude spreads faster than strategy—it’s a positive idea virus. Never assume people know why you appreciate them—tell them clearly. Gather your team, speak it out loud and let them do the same. When gratitude becomes shared meaning, pride turns into connection and connection into culture. People remember how you made them feel seen and valued. Prepare to make it more meaningful. - Julien Fortuit, Julien Fortuit Agency 14. Capture Appreciation In A ‘Gratitude Time Capsule’ Create a “Gratitude Time Capsule.” Ask each employee to record a short voice note or video (under 60 seconds) sharing one thing they’re grateful for—about a colleague, a moment or the team. Compile and seal them digitally to be replayed at next year’s kickoff. It blends reflection with anticipation, anchors gratitude in story and builds long-term emotional connection. - Arthi Rabikrisson, Prerna Advisory 15. Host A ‘Gratitude Debrief’ Host a “Gratitude Debrief” instead of a party—an hour where every team shares one unseen contribution from another group that made their work possible. It shifts thank-you’s from generic to specific, reminding everyone they’re part of a living system, not isolated in silos. When people feel seen, collaboration stops being a chore and starts being a choice and something to be proud of. - Alla Adam, Adam Impact Institute 16. Model Gratitude To Inspire Others Gratitude is a powerful mechanism for creating positive and productive energy and behaviors within an organization. The most direct way to encourage gratitude is to model it. First, clarify what you are grateful for in your own life. Second, take a moment to tell others what you value and appreciate about them, their work and their contributions. - Matt Herzberg, Principled Transformation LLC 17. Express Genuine Gratefulness
