03/04/2025

Why Forcing Your Team to Feel Grateful Will Backfire

Neurodivergent individuals often encounter forced gratitude

Minorities in leadership—women, neurodivergent individuals, Indigenous peoples, immigrants—are often met with an unspoken expectation: You should be grateful just to be here. This forced gratitude narrative serves as a subtle but powerful form of control, reinforcing systemic biases that undermine their leadership potential. The underlying message is clear: You don’t truly belong; you were given this opportunity, so be thankful and do not ask for more.

The Psychology Behind Forced Gratitude

For underrepresented groups, leadership is rarely a straightforward path. Even after overcoming barriers, they may encounter:

• Expectations to express gratitude rather than advocate for their needs.
• Pressure to prove they deserve their role, even when overqualified.
• Guilt for seeking more—whether in recognition, pay, authority or autonomy.

This phenomenon is rooted in systemic inequality. Leadership has historically been reserved for certain demographics, and when individuals from marginalized groups break through, they are often reminded—explicitly or implicitly—that they are fortunate rather than deserving.

Please select this link to read the complete article from Psychology Today.