The first week of January has a familiar energy.

New notebooks. New goals. New routines.
The quiet pressure to “come back strong”.
To prove that this year will be different.

And yet, most professionals start the year the same way:
With a plan to do more.

More output.
More productivity.
More intensity.
More ambition.

I’ve done that too.

But over time, I’ve realised the strongest resets don’t start with hustle.
They start with perspective.

And the most overlooked leadership skill, the one that shifts relationships, trust, and long-term influence, is gratitude.

Not the performative kind. Not the “thanks everyone” post.
Strategic gratitude.

In this article, I’ll share why gratitude is the leadership skill most people skip in January, and how using it properly can transform how you’re trusted, valued, and remembered in 2026.

January Makes Us Forget What Matters

January is full of good intentions.

But it also comes with a subtle danger:
We rush back into “doing” before we return to “being”.

Many professionals go straight into:

• chasing targets
• fixing systems
• rebuilding momentum
• proving their value
• trying to be seen as competent
  

Which sounds productive, but often creates the same cycle.

You can deliver consistently and still feel like:

• Your effort isn’t recognised
• Relationships stay transactional
• Your influence isn’t growing
• People respect your competence, but don’t fully trust you
• You’re always “re-establishing” yourself
  

I see this every year with consultants and leaders in my circle.

Technically strong professionals who struggle to build rapport quickly.
Managers who perform well but don’t inspire loyalty.
High achievers who keep getting opportunities, yet feel oddly replaceable.

Most of the time, the issue isn’t talent.

It’s that they’re trying to win respect without building trust.

And trust is rarely built through performance alone.

Gratitude Is a Shortcut to Trust

Here’s what I learned the hard way:

Competence gets you in the room.
Gratitude helps you stay there and become the person people choose.

Because gratitude signals something most professionals are quietly searching for: 

Safety

When a leader expresses genuine appreciation, it communicates:

• “I notice your effort.”
• “Your contribution matters.”
• “You’re not invisible here.”
• “You can speak without being punished.”
  

That creates psychological safety, which is the foundation of trust, honesty, and collaboration.

Here is a little framework to help you think about it:

Edify

Gratitude teaches people what matters. When you acknowledge someone’s contribution, you reinforce standards, behaviours, and culture.

Validate

It mirrors what most professionals want: to be recognised not just for results, but for effort, intent, and impact.

Intrigue

It reveals an unexpected truth: gratitude isn’t softness. It’s power, because it builds influence without force.

I’ve seen leaders with average technical skill build loyal teams simply because people feel valued around them.

I’ve seen consultants win repeat work not because their slides were perfect, but because clients felt genuinely respected.

Gratitude doesn’t replace competence.

It multiplies it.

How to Lead With Gratitude in 2026

If you want gratitude to work, it has to be precise.

A generic “good job” is forgettable.
A vague “thanks for your help” rarely shifts anything.

Here are four practical ways to turn gratitude into a leadership advantage this year:

1) Make it specific (not polite)

Specific gratitude creates credibility.

Use this formula:
“I appreciate [what you did] because it helped [impact].”

Examples:

• “I appreciate that recap; it saved us at least 30 minutes and kept the team aligned.”
• “Thanks for challenging that idea early. It improved the plan.”
  

2) Praise impact, not personality

Avoid fluffy praise like “you’re amazing”.

Instead:

• “Your structure made the client confident.”
• “Your calm approach kept the meeting productive.”
  

This builds repeatable behaviours, not ego.

3) Separate public praise and private trust

Public gratitude builds culture.

Private gratitude builds loyalty.

A quick message saying, “I noticed what you did, it mattered”, is the sort of thing people carry for months.

4) Use gratitude under pressure

This is the real test.

When things go wrong, most leaders become sharp, urgent, or blaming.

Gratitude shifts you into collaboration.

Try:
“I appreciate your effort. Let’s solve it together.”

That single sentence can prevent defensiveness and keep momentum.

Why Gratitude Matters More in a Portfolio World

Work is changing.

More professionals are building portfolio careers, blending consulting, leadership roles, advisory work, side projects, and multiple income streams.

And in that world, your advantage isn’t just expertise.

Its reputation and relational equity.

People move quickly. Teams change fast. Trust becomes a rare currency.

Gratitude is one of the simplest ways to build that currency because it makes people feel valued, not used.

And here’s the deeper truth:

Most people are burnt out, under-recognised, and quietly carrying more than they say.

When you lead with gratitude, you become a rare experience, especially in January, when everyone is tense and “back in performance mode”.

That’s why gratitude scales influence. It becomes your reputation without you marketing yourself.

Conclusion: Don’t Start 2026 With Hustle, Start With Perspective

If you want to lead better in 2026, don’t just set goals around productivity.

Set one around trust.

Gratitude isn’t the opposite of ambition.

It’s the fuel for sustainable ambition.

Because when you recognise people properly, you build trust.
When you build trust, you gain influence.
And when you gain influence, opportunities stop feeling random.

So here’s a simple question to carry into this year:

Who is one person you should thank this week, and what would you say if you were specific?

Understand. Reach. Expand.

Peace.