We all want a supportive and safe workplace, a place where we can grow, achieve, and be recognized as a contributor and where we feel satisfied with ourselves and proud of our effort. But what are the key elements to building such a workplace?

Researchers at the University of Central Florida who focus on interpersonal relationships at work, workplace mistreatment, and workplace fairness, ethics, and deviance look for ways to prevent negative behaviors at work.

Building on findings in positive psychology, they conducted two studies and found that gratitude practices in the workplace engendered more self-control and reduced workplace rudeness and mistreatment. And there's more.

Studies in positive psychology find that gratitude practices can

• Strengthen motivation to behave prosocially.

• Foster close interpersonal relationships.

• Improve self-control.

• Enhance feelings of support.

These sound like key elements of a thriving workplace to me.

Join me for a short story of how one boss took a hands-on approach and became an effective leader and a valuable consultant to other organizations. We'll then do a short gratitude practice to engage both the body and mind in experiencing the power of gratitude.