A high-octane culture powers exceptional performance. Creativity, constructive conflict, disciplined metrics, and accountable follow-up - all are well-known factors of high performance.  

Yet in the drive to perform, something important can get lost – gratitude. 

This readiness to show appreciation of others is tangible. You can feel it in the room. The higher the appreciation of each other, the greater the comfort with being real and the more likely you are to give others grace when they make a mistake. Sharing gratitude produces positive energy that powers teams to give their best.   

Positive psychology shows us that simply expressing gratitude to others on a regular basis can significantly increase well-being and life satisfaction. This is true for individuals and for teams. Practicing this habit across an organization will create a self-reinforcing positive loop. 

Many CEOs see the advantages of getting their employees involved incommunity impact efforts.  Reimagining how you as a company might create social change in the world is not easy.  Below are four different approaches to help you evaluate the kind of impact you are currently making and the kind of impact you might consider for the future.*  As you move from left to right, you move from approaches that are easier to implement to approaches that are very difficult to implement. 

My recent conversation with Mark Bertolini, chairman and CEO of Aetna, focused heavily on the organization's drive to innovate and transform health care. What struck me most was how deeply threaded Aetna's purpose is in everything they do. We captured the interview on video, and I want to share here a few highlights where Mark spoke directly to the importance of purpose for Aetna