The Power of Gratitude in Connection

Insights from Patrick Galvin, Author of "The Daily Connector"

Author

Will Forrester
May 13, 2025

In our fast-paced business world, we often overlook one of the most powerful tools for building lasting relationships: gratitude. In a recent conversation on the "How I Hire" podcast, Patrick Galvin, coach, speaker, and author of "The Daily Connector," shared transformative insights about the practice of gratitude in relationship building.

My Personal Practice: Morning Pages and Mindfulness

My journey toward intentional gratitude begins each day with Morning Pages—a practice I've borrowed from Julia Cameron's "The Artist's Way." By writing three pages of longhand, stream-of-consciousness thoughts each morning, I clear mental clutter and create space for gratitude to emerge naturally. This daily ritual helps me identify connections I'm thankful for and relationships that need nurturing. Just as Patrick advises to "dig your well before you're thirsty" (referencing Harvey McKay's book title), my Morning Pages practice helps me maintain awareness of my relationships before urgent needs arise. Combined with my yoga practice, this mindfulness routine creates a foundation for authentic connection and expressed appreciation that carries into my professional interactions throughout the day.

Morning Pages!

Beyond Networking: The Art of Connection

Patrick makes a crucial distinction between networking and connecting. While networking often focuses on quantity—collecting as many business cards as possible—connecting is about quality interactions where you're "really in an active mode of trying to figure out that other person and how you can be of support to them."

The highest level connectors aren't thinking about what they can get from a relationship but rather how they can add value. As Patrick notes, "Value doesn't necessarily have to be anything grandiose like a job. It could be a tip, an idea, some empathy."

Gratitude Practice - Practice Practice Practice

Gratitude: The Simplest Yet Most Powerful Practice

When asked which themes from his book are most transformative for leaders, Patrick highlighted gratitude as perhaps the simplest yet most impactful:

In today's accelerated world with ever-increasing expectations, we often forget to express appreciation. Yet Patrick notes that many people stay with companies specifically because they feel valued within a "culture of gratitude" where their contributions are recognized.

My daily yoga practice has taught me the profound power of expressed gratitude. In savasana at the end of each session, I dedicate a few moments to consciously acknowledge the teachers, fellow practitioners, and ancestors whose wisdom has informed my practice. This ritual of expressed appreciation, not just felt internally but vocalized or written afterward, creates an entirely different energy than silent gratitude.

Similarly, in my professional relationships, I've found that articulating specific appreciation—whether through a handwritten note, a thoughtful email, or public recognition—transforms both the recipient and myself. As Patrick notes,

Simple Acts with Profound Impact

Patrick shares practical examples of gratitude in action:

  • A handwritten note of appreciation

  • Calling out someone's excellent work during a meeting

  • Taking time to explain the specific actions that contributed to a bonus or recognition

These seemingly small gestures can create transformation within an organization. Patrick suggests that if leaders focused on just one objective for improving relationships in 2025, bringing more gratitude to the table would yield remarkable results.

Building Meaningful Connections in a Digital World

While technology and remote work can sometimes create barriers to connection, Patrick emphasizes that intentional relationship building is still possible:

  • Show up early to virtual meetings for informal conversation

  • Block 25 minutes daily for purposeful relationship building on platforms like LinkedIn

  • Reach out to reconnect with past contacts (something many of us neglect)

Verbalizing gratitude brings genuine connection in ways that silent appreciation simply cannot match.

WF

The Business Case for Connection

Beyond the personal benefits, relationship-centered cultures provide competitive advantages:

  • Higher employee engagement

  • Better talent retention

  • More effective recruitment through authentic referrals

  • Increased client retention rates

"Having a practice of gratitude with how you are collaborating and working with others... I love this quote by Gertrude Stein. She said, 'Silent gratitude is not much use to anybody.'"

Patrick Galvin

Daily Practice for Lasting Impact

Patrick's book "The Daily Connector" provides a structured approach to making relationship building a regular practice rather than an occasional activity. Each day offers a concept followed by a quick, practical action step, making it accessible for both introverts and extroverts.

Patrick Galvin is co-founder and partner of the Galvanizing Group, an online learning and coaching company based in Portland. His latest book "The Daily Connector" was published in 2024 and offers 366 ways to build better relationships.

This newsletter was inspired by Patrick's appearance on the "How I Hire" podcast with host Roy Notowitz, where they discussed relationship building, trust, and the power of daily connection practices.

For more information about Patrick Galvin and his work, visit The Galvanizing Group.

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