How School Leaders Can Build Gratitude Into What Already Exists
Lindsey and Tasha continue their conversation about gratitude by unpacking the ideas that stood out most from their interview with Lainie Rowell, author of Bold Gratitude. Together, they explore what gratitude can look like in everyday leadership, how authentic praise can strengthen school culture, and why small, intentional practices can have a meaningful impact on both educators and students.
Rather than treating gratitude as one more initiative, Lindsey and Tasha focus on practical ways leaders can build it into the rhythms and routines that already exist. Their conversation centers on specific praise, self-care, staff recognition, student participation, and the ripple effect that can happen when people feel genuinely seen and valued.
In this episode, we discuss:
- Why gratitude is not about pretending challenges do not exist, but about intentionally recognizing what is still good
- The difference between generic praise and authentic praise that is specific, meaningful, and connected to impact
- How school leaders can incorporate gratitude into staff meetings and other routines that already exist
- Why gratitude can become an important form of self-care for leaders who are constantly focused on solving problems
- How recognizing what is going well can shift the emotional tone of a school without ignoring the work that still needs to be done
- Why small acts of recognition can create ripple effects throughout a staff, classroom, or school community
- Practical ways technology can make gratitude easier and more sustainable for busy educators
- How gratitude jars and similar practices can help students notice and name positive moments in their classrooms
- The role of writing prompts and reflection in helping students and adults develop a more intentional gratitude practice
- Why gratitude practices are more powerful when they feel authentic rather than forced
- How leaders can create opportunities for staff members to feel seen for the specific contributions they make
- Why celebrating progress and effort can strengthen relationships and reinforce the culture leaders are trying to build
- How gratitude can move beyond the school building and become part of the way schools engage families and the broader community
- Why creating a culture of gratitude is less about launching a program and more about consistently modeling what leaders want others to notice and value
This companion conversation builds on Lindsey and Tasha’s interview with Lainie Rowell and her work in Bold Gratitude, giving school leaders practical ideas for turning reflection into action.
About this companion episode
Companion episodes of The Authority give Lindsey Cannon and Natasha Nurse space to reflect on the ideas that stay with them after conversations with authors, experts, and education leaders. Rather than simply recapping the interview, they explore what those ideas can mean in practice for school leaders and educators.
In this episode, they revisit Lainie Rowell’s insights about gratitude and consider how leaders can apply them through authentic praise, staff routines, student engagement, self-reflection, and community-building. The focus is on small, sustainable shifts that can help create school environments where people feel recognized, supported, and connected.
Learn more about today's sponsor, Playworks:
We’re proud to be sponsored by Playworks, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with evidence-based practices that help schools improve the health and well-being of children by increasing opportunities for physical activity and safe, meaningful play.
We’re proud to be sponsored by Playworks, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with evidence-based practices that help schools improve the health and well-being of children by increasing opportunities for physical activity and safe, meaningful play.
If you’re a school or district leader struggling with the challenge of chronic absenteeism, as so many are across the U.S., you may not realize that structured recess is a research-backed approach to keep kids in school. In fact, a UC Berkeley study of Title I schools found that those partnering with Playworks had significantly lower chronic absenteeism rates. Further, Mathematica research demonstrated that Playworks schools spent 27% less time transitioning from recess back to learning, saving teachers valuable instructional time.
These results are possible for your students, too. Learn how Playworks can help you improve student-educator relationships, belonging, and attendance by signing up for a quick no-obligation conversation.
Creators and Guests
Host
Lindsey Cannon
Founder of Reify Educates and an instructional leader with 22 years of experience helping schools build clear, sustainable systems that strengthen teacher capacity and improve student outcomes.
Host
Natasha Nurse
Instructional leader with 21 years in public education specializing in inquiry-driven curriculum design, literacy, deep thinking, ethical AI integration, and professional learning.
