Epperly's article on gratitute really spoke to my approach (or intended approach) to leadership. Appreciative inquiry is rooted in gratitude and I believe that this appreciative approach opens to door to adaptive leadership. It is challenging to be collaborative when people don't speak their truth and people don't speak their truth if they don't feel appreciated and safe. Emotional intelligence also plays a big role. Often, when someone puts effort into something, our first "gut reaction" may be to identify all of the ways we could have done it better. Epperly notes that gratitude must be intentional. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem to be something that comes very naturally to most of us. In my own leadership, I find that the moments in which I'm the most stressed, overwhelmed, and even feeling hurt are the times I need gratitude most.