If you’ve been following my personal journey this year, then you know that it’s been quite a year of change.  I’m single after a long relationship came to its conclusion.  I’ve moved into a new and fantastic work and living environment. My consulting practice continues to grow.  I have much to be thankful for, and have been feeling this way for months now.  This being a time of Thanksgiving, my awareness is heightened. How do you show you are thankful, I wondered.

The first way I thought about how I show that I am thankful is by communicating.  Words.  Telling people and using the right language to express thanks, gratitude, and love.  When I want to tell someone that I am thankful in person, my language is effusive; it gushes out of me.

Words are surely important.  So is the emotional component of communicating.  But, have you ever thought about how you look at the time of expressing your thanks?

Literally, how do you show you are thankful?

I think that to answer this question, several important factors weigh into your strategy.  First of all, how important is it to you to convey your sincerity?  Next, you have to be clear about what you’re thankful for, and to whom you’re thankful.  Then, you have to be prepared for the situation itself, when and where you express your thankfulness.

Sometimes, being thankful is implicit, meaning that it goes without saying.  But it doesn’t go without showing.

How do you show you are thankful, for instance, when you have a major job interview?  Lately, I’ve been helping several clients strategize how to show up for these.  There are times when clients already know the persons who will interview them.  It could be an internal company interview, or it could be someone who they used to work with and is now at a different company.  How do you show you are thankful when you interview?

I think, here, the answer is about surrendering your ego, and showing up with humility.  Do you not dress up as much as you would when meeting a stranger because it’s with persons who you already know? To me, the thought process of what to wear and how to show up, if not done with humility in this situation, is tantamount to taking advantage of a good situation.  The same mindset that goes into not wanting to intentionally show you are thankful will also impact other areas of preparedness for such an interview.

How do you show up when you run the show?  I have many clients who either head up their own company, or run large corporations and organizations.  I have come to learn from them how important it is to create consensus among employees, fellow leaders, and strategic partners.  What this proves is that no leader arrives to her or his position alone.  Day to day life isn’t rooted in exaltations of gratitude.  Showing up as a humble leader, as part of the team, is a remarkable way to show that you are thankful for those relationships.  It’s a way of “keeping it real.”

I may be a very stylish guy.  It may come easier for me than it might be for you.  But, I can tell you, without equivocation, that when I dress every day, I am always thinking about the people I will encounter throughout the day.  I want them to know that I am happy, excited, and grateful for our togetherness.  So, I wear clothing that represents my feeling about those people.  As I choose those items from the wardrobe to make an outfit, I am also thinking about where I’ll be seeing each person.

I may be in my studio, in the closet of a client, and even in a luxurious shopping environment, all on the same day.  I want my look to set the tone for what needs to be accomplished each day.  When I put that kind of intention into my appearance, I can promise you that everyone knows that I am thankful to be in each of his or her presence.  That’s how I roll.  How do you show you are thankful?

Joseph Rosenfeld helps successful Silicon Valley technology entrepreneurs and executives discover their personal brands and design their personal styles.  Get Joseph’s free report that helps you know “6 Secrets to Success in Silicon Valley”.  Need immediate and fast help? Learn about Joseph’s image consulting experience designed to transform your image and personal style in record time.