Today let’s look at gratefulness and acknowledgment in the workplace. It’s a new year — let’s start 2014 with new, positive intentions for a grateful workplace.

Think of three things at work for which you are grateful. No, this isn’t a joke. I mean it. Don’t read any further until you have three things in mind.

Do you have three things at work in mind for which you are grateful?

When you do, review this list:

• Who did something that moved you forward?
• Who made your work a little easier?
• Who lightened your load for awhile so you could focus?
• Who covered for you?
• Who spoke up for you?
• Who represented you when you weren’t there to speak for yourself?
• Who trusted you?
• Who nudged you?
• Who expected more of you than you expected of yourself?
• Who supported you?
• Who asked your opinion?
• Who included you?
• Who let you know they value your work?
• Who makes it possible for you to do what you do?
• Who did you take for granted and deserves your thanks?

Now consider this: in each case, who needs to know that you appreciate these things?

Some of your co-workers will continue their supportive ways no matter what. Others may not know that what they do makes your life noticeably better, and if you don’t tell them, they might stop.

It’s called acknowledgement, positive feedback — amplifying loops — and it is even more important to preserving positive actions than negative feedback is to correcting what’s not working.

Most people at work are more practiced at criticizing what they don’t like than acknowledging what they do want

(Did you have a hard time when I asked you to think of three things for which you were grateful?).

This week, be specific. Tell colleagues why you are grateful for them at work. It doesn’t have to be sappy and over-the-top. Simple direct sincerity will do.

Get Started With This 5-Minute Practice Tip

Call someone you normally wouldn’t right now to say “I’m grateful for what you do.”

Leaders and coaches: Get Christopher’s best team building and leadership strategies collected over two-plus decades of solving teamwork problems for smart people. Attend the acclaimed Creating Results-Based Teams workshop, or get this FREE Special Report while it lasts: The Five Flawless Steps to Building a Strong Executive Leadership Team.

Christopher Avery, PhD, is a recognized authority on how individual and shared responsibility works in the mind and an advisor to leaders worldwide.