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Gratitude and Power

AUTHOR:

Eli Waxler

Link to Resource

Gratitude is a common theme in sport. Athletes are encouraged to be thankful for opportunities, for their teammates, and for the chance to compete. Coaches talk about perspective and appreciation as hallmarks of maturity.

But gratitude can get complicated in team environments where hierarchies shape who gives and who receives it. When gratitude primarily travels upward—when athletes are expected to express it but rarely hear it back—it can lose its connective power.

Teams function best when gratitude is shared, not prescribed. Research across psychology suggests that gratitude’s real strength lies in reciprocity. It works when everyone feels seen and valued, not only those at the top.

Gratitude as a Social Exchange

Gratitude is often described as a kind of social glue. According to Sara Algoe’s “Find–Remind–and–Bind” theory, gratitude helps people:

  • Find sources of support,
  • Remind themselves of who provides that support, and
  • Bind relationships more tightly over time.

People who experience and express gratitude tend to report greater well-being, partly because gratitude deepens relationships and creates positive emotional cycles.

In teams, this dynamic is especially important. The value of gratitude depends not only on who feels it, but also on how it moves through the group. If gratitude is expected only from those with less power, it can start to feel like a performance instead of a genuine connection.

How Power Shapes Gratitude

Gratitude doesn’t exist in a vacuum. Recent organizational research shows that power differences influence gratitude norms. In studies by Anicich and colleagues, people with less power:

  • Expressed more gratitude, and
  • Were expected to do so more often.

Meanwhile, people with more power received more of it.

In sport, this often looks like athletes constantly thanking coaches, staff, and organizations—but not always hearing appreciation in return. On the surface, this can look like a healthy culture. Underneath, it may reinforce hierarchy more than mutual respect.

This doesn’t mean gratitude is harmful. It means context matters. In coaching relationships, gratitude is most authentic and effective when it moves in both directions.

Gratitude as Connection, Not Compliance

Gratitude should deepen connection, not act as a test of attitude.

When gratitude is used carelessly, it can:

  • Pressure athletes to hide frustration,
  • Encourage them to “be grateful” instead of raising concerns, and
  • Make it harder to talk about unfair treatment or burnout.

When used intentionally, gratitude can:

  • Highlight connection and belonging,
  • Remind everyone that they depend on each other, and
  • Support honest conversations about what’s working and what isn’t.

The healthiest gratitude cultures are those that allow for both appreciation and honesty. When coaches express thanks as readily as athletes do, and when gratitude includes the full web of relationships that make performance possible, it stops being a performance and becomes what it was meant to be all along: recognition of shared effort.

References

Algoe, S. B. (2012). Find, remind, and bind: The functions of gratitude in everyday relationships. Social and Personality Psychology Compass, 6(6), 455–469.

Anicich, E. M., Oishi, S., & Galinsky, A. D. (2021). Thanks, but no thanks: Unpacking the relationship between relative power and gratitude. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 162, 13–26.

Chen, L.-H. (2024). A longitudinal and multilevel investigation of grateful climate in cultivating psychological resilience: The mediating role of athlete’s gratitude. Applied Research in Quality of Life, 19(3), 665–682.

Chen, L.-H., Kee, Y. H., Chen, M.-Y., & Chen, S. R. (2015). Why grateful adolescent athletes are more satisfied with their life: The mediating role of perceived team cohesion. Social Indicators Research, 124(2), 463–476.

Dong, L., Zou, S., Fan, R., Wang, B., & Ye, L. (2024). The influence of athletes’ gratitude on burnout: The sequential mediating roles of the coach–athlete relationship and hope. Frontiers in Psychology, 15, 1358799.

Grant, A. M., & Gino, F. (2010). A little thanks goes a long way: Explaining why gratitude expressions motivate prosocial behavior. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 98(6), 946–955.

Wood, A. M., Froh, J. J., & Geraghty, A. W. A. (2010). Gratitude and well-being: A review and theoretical integration. Clinical Psychology Review, 30(7), 890–905.