What I’m Grateful For
the HR version
It’s Thanksgiving week, so I think I’m supposed to write something about gratitude. And I could do the “corporate” thing. Talk about being thankful for “our people” or “the opportunity to make an impact” or whatever sounds good on LinkedIn.
But here’s what I’m actually grateful for.
The people who tell me the truth.
Not the sanitized version they think I want to hear. The real version. The “this policy makes no sense” version. The “I’m thinking about leaving” version. The “you need to know what’s actually happening” version.
Those conversations are uncomfortable. They’re also the only reason I know what’s going on.
The leaders who admit they don’t have it figured out.
The ones who ask for help instead of pretending they know how to handle the difficult employee conversation or the team that’s falling apart. Who say “I think I messed this up” instead of defending every decision.
They make my job easier because we can actually solve things together.
The quiet performers who just do great work.
Not the loud ones. Not the ones who make sure everyone knows what they’re doing. The people who show up, do the thing, help their teammates, and go home.
They don’t need recognition every week. They don’t create drama. They just make everything work better by being there.
The moments when something actually works.
When a conversation goes better than expected. When a new process doesn’t immediately break. When someone tells you that thing you suggested actually helped.
Those moments are rare enough that I notice them. And I’m learning to appreciate them instead of immediately moving to the next problem.
The days when I leave work and feel like I did something that mattered.
Even if it’s small. Even if nobody else noticed. Even if it won’t show up in a metric anywhere.
From my perspective, that feeling is why I’m still doing this work. And I’m grateful I still have days where I feel it.
What about you?
What are you grateful for this year? Not the polished answer.
The real one.