> ## Content Index
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# Gratitude as a business strategy
- URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/gratitude-as-a-business-strategy/
- Published: 2011-11-24T15:22:49.000Z
- Updated: 2016-06-10T05:02:25.000Z
- Description: Given that today is the Thanksgiving holiday here in the states, I was reflecting back on the past year and compiling a list of everything that I’m thankful for. I find as I get older, the list gets longer. As I was scanning some of my favorite blogs this morning, I stumbled across an article […]
- Author: Phil McKinney
- Tags: Blog, Career, Pay It Forward, appreciation, business strategy, gratitude, thank you, #wp, #wp-post, #philmckinneycom, #Import 2023-05-01 05:17

Given that today is the Thanksgiving holiday here in the states, I was reflecting back on the past year and compiling a list of everything that I'm thankful for. I find as I get older, the list gets longer. As I was scanning some of my favorite blogs this morning, I stumbled across an article by Howie Jacobson on gratitude as a business strategy.

Given that tomorrow is the official kick-off to the holiday shopping season, its something we should all take time to read and ponder.

*Most of us are fantastic complainers. When someone doesn't meet our expectations, we let them know. We may even let their boss or mother know.*

*There's nothing wrong with expecting excellence, and taking steps to get it. The problem is, we tend to take excellence–and thoughtfulness, and kindness, and joyfulness–for granted.*

*When things go as we expect, we don't even notice or acknowledge it. Dennis Prager refers to this as the “broken tile” syndrome: look at a ceiling with one broken tile, and where is your eye naturally drawn? To the broken tile, of course. Not to the hundreds of whole ones.*

*To see if this is true for you, think for a moment about your many contributions to the people around you. Do you get thanked enough for them? Does the gratitude to criticism ratio you experience feel right to you?*

*… continued on [FastCompany](http://www.fastcompany.com/1796660/gratitude-as-a-business-strategy?ref=philmckinney.com "Gratitude as a business strategy")*

One item on my list this year is you — the readers of the [blog](https://www.philmckinney.com/) and listeners to the [podcast](https://www.philmckinney.com/killer-innovations). I want to express my gratitude and say — Thank you!

> Does the gratitude-to-criticism ratio you experience feel right to you?