Gratitude-Driven Leadership: How Thankfulness Shapes a Team and a Movement

By Wendy Hammond

Executive Director, GEMS Global

When I look back over my leadership journey, gratitude isn’t something I discovered once things were going well. It’s what carried me through seasons of uncertainty and growth. Over time, I’ve learned that gratitude isn’t the result of a healthy team; it’s what helps create one.

As Executive Director of GEMS Global, a Christian nonprofit that equips women to mentor girls, I have the privilege of leading an all-women staff and board. Our mission is rooted in faith: to bring girls everywhere into a living, dynamic relationship with Jesus Christ. But beyond belief, gratitude is how we live that truth every day.

Building a Culture of Thanks

When I joined GEMS, it was immediately clear how deeply our team cared about the mission and about one another. Like many purpose-driven organizations, we often juggle full calendars and limited resources. Gratitude helps us stay centered on what’s strong instead of what’s missing.

Each week during our prayer times, we share praises and petitions. It’s a rhythm that keeps us grounded and reminds us of the good work already unfolding. We pause to name what we’re thankful for, to celebrate small wins, and to express appreciation for the volunteers and donors who make this ministry possible. We also make space for encouragement—birthday cards filled with affirmations, quick notes of thanks, and celebrations of milestones big and small.

Those simple rhythms have shaped a team culture that is encouraging, creative, and joy-filled. Gratitude has become one of our greatest strengths, fueling collaboration and perseverance even during busy or challenging seasons.

Gratitude as Resilience

Leadership always brings its share of challenges. There are projects that stretch us, transitions that require courage, and moments when progress feels slow. Gratitude helps reframe those experiences. It shifts our focus from scarcity to abundance, from what’s lacking to what’s already in motion.

That mindset reflects both our faith and the principles of asset-based community development. Lasting change begins when we recognize what’s already good and growing. The same is true in organizational life. When we focus on what we have—our people, our gifts, and the opportunities in front of us—we build from a place of strength and hope.

Gratitude doesn’t erase difficulty, but it gives it perspective. It reminds us that even in uncertain times, there are still reasons to give thanks.

Gratitude That Flows Outward

What I love most about gratitude is that it doesn’t stop with us. At GEMS, we’ve noticed that when women lead with thankfulness, they lead differently. They lead with generosity, humility, and joy. That same spirit overflows into the girls we serve and the communities our clubs impact around the world.

In a culture that often promotes competition or scarcity, gratitude points us toward abundance. It reminds us that we don’t have to compare or compete to make a difference. When we lead from a place of fullness instead of fear, we create space for others to flourish too.

Every thank-you note, every moment of recognition, every celebration of progress—it all adds up. Gratitude multiplies impact. It turns teams into communities and organizations into movements.

As we enter this season of thanks, I’m reminded that gratitude is more than a feeling. It’s a faith-filled practice that transforms workplaces into places of purpose and turns ordinary moments into something extraordinary.

My hope—for my team, for the women we serve, and for every leader reading this—is that we’ll keep leading with thankful hearts and eyes to see what’s strong and good. When gratitude drives leadership, everyone rises.

Connect With Wendy

www.linkedin.com/in/wendyleephammond