Leading with Gratitude
From the bottom of our hearts, thank you!
Written by Jess and Jenna
Walking into both of our offices, you will notice something similar. Thank you notes line the top of our cabinets (pictured above). Old-fashioned, handwritten thank you notes. Yes, you read that right! These days, gratitude often shows up via a quick email, Slack message, or a LinkedIn shout-out. All of which are wonderful. However, when we receive a handwritten thank you note, it stands out. We remember. And it gets displayed!
Not only do we take notice of these thoughtful touches, others do too. That’s why we encourage our students to always lead with gratitude. Begin an informational meeting by thanking the contact for their time. Start a job interview with a simple, “Thank you so much for having me. I’m really excited to be here.” A small gesture, but it makes a big difference.
And that’s not all. Ending with gratitude is equally important. Close the loop and thank someone for their time. If they shared something with you - whether it was a podcast to listen to, a book to read, or a referral to connect with - circling back to express gratitude goes a long way.
One of our favorite memories is of a student who, after landing his dream job, showed us a full list of contacts he planned to thank for their support along the way. Music to our ears! Years later, students like him hold a special place. What we remember most isn’t the job titles they landed, but the intentionality and thoughtfulness they brought to their journeys.
So in the spirit of Thanksgiving tomorrow… a huge thank you to all of you! For impacting our lives and being on the Glimmers journey with us. We greatly appreciate you and wish you an amazing holiday, relaxing, reflecting, and recharging!
Speaking of gratitude… a special thanks to our amazing readers who submitted their favorite mantra via our “Gotta Glimmer” form below!
I don’t know who I want to become, or at least have yet to come up with an answer acceptable to the world’s criteria. “What do you want to do?” I want to be gentle, and I want to be a friend. “No, like a job, something you spend the rest of your life doing.” My answer remains. “And what about your purpose?” Gentle. A friend.
— Jordan Lancaster, submitted by Connor Arnette
“In the name of unity!” submitted by Sonja Montiel
“Begin and the rest is easy.” submitted by Matthew Temple
“Carpe Diem!” submitted by Emily Goldberg
The power of the handwritten thank you cannot be emphasized enough and from personal experience, the fantastic and talented authors of this weeks subject write some of the best ones!