As the Thanksgiving season approaches, it’s the perfect time to reflect on the two wolves inside us all: the Wolf of Gratitude and the Wolf of Complaining. Which one are you feeding? In this episode of Make Work Not Suck, co-hosts Daniel Steere and Ryan Hodges dive deep into the power of gratitude in the workplace and beyond.
Learn how practicing gratitude at any level—employee, manager, or executive—can make work suck less and even create a more fulfilling, effective environment. Discover practical strategies to express thanks authentically, foster a culture of appreciation year-round (not just during the holidays), and avoid the toxic spiral of complaints that drag teams down.
You’ll also hear:
[00:00] The "Two Wolves" analogy and how it applies to work.
[03:00] Why gratitude is essential to leadership and culture.
[09:45] How to navigate the tension between frustration and authentic appreciation.
[15:30] Simple practices to cultivate gratitude every day.
[20:15] How employees and leaders can build a habit of gratitude that drives real results.
[30:40] Using gratitude to align vision, journey, culture, and results.
[35:15] Why work sucks without gratitude—and how to make it suck less with it.
Whether you’re leading a team or just trying to get through a tough workday, this episode is packed with actionable advice to reframe your mindset and bring out the best in yourself and others.
Key Takeaways:
- Gratitude as a Daily Habit: Start every day by identifying one thing you’re grateful for at work and in your personal life.
- Gratitude in Meetings: Introduce a "gratitude moment" at the beginning of team meetings to shift the tone and foster connection.
- Shift Perspective: Stop feeding the "Beast of Complaining" and focus on what’s working instead of what's broken.
- Year-Round Thanks: Avoid limiting gratitude to Thanksgiving or holidays. Make it a consistent practice.
Ready to feed the right wolf? Tune in, reflect, and discover how gratitude can make work not suck for you and your team.
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LEARN MOREEpisode 25
There are two wolves inside us all: the Wolf of Gratitude and the Wolf of Complaining. Which one are you feeding?
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Oraqor is a platform that ends the false choice between supporting employees and driving business growth with Oraqor. Strike the balance between employee engagement, productivity, and business growth in a singular platform.
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