Have you ever been having a less than stellar day and, out of nowhere, someone compliments you?
“Great job!”
“Lookin’ good.”
“Thanks for the help.”
“Good work the other day.”
“Nice shirt!”
How did it make you feel?
Usually, a compliment lifts our spirits. It gives us a boost of energy. Honestly, it motivates us – even if just momentarily, but often the effects of a compliment last much longer than just a few moments.
The kind of positive effect a compliment brings is rooted in a much broader form of communication. A compliment is just one form of appreciation. Appreciation is the larger emotion we communicate to others when we compliment them. And in my opinion, appreciation is underrated and severely needed in society today – especially the workplace.
I’m not proposing false flattery. But I am encouraging you to speak out when you genuinely appreciate someone or something. If you don’t regularly recognize it when you appreciate someone or something they’ve done, you might need to work on it. You can prepare how you intend to share your appreciation. You can make a game of it by setting a goal of finding five things per day to appreciate. But the main thing is to share it with others, so they know you appreciate them and be sincere.
I first heard the phrase “appreciation motivates people” from a long time friend of mine, Todd Vinson. I think all leaders can learn something from Todd’s business model. Most people think Todd is in the coffee roasting business. But he’s not really selling coffee. Before Todd began roasting coffee beans, he and his family founded Willow Springs Boys’ Ranch as a place where troubled boys could find help. The boys would live and work on the ranch alongside Todd and others who would mentor and encourage them. Todd and his family lived on the ranch for twenty years. Not all of his stories from the ranch end in success, but one thing he learned from those twenty years is how important appreciation can be.
When Todd finally retired from daily work at the boys’ ranch, he turned his focus to caring for people of all ages. But this time coffee was the conduit instead of the ranch. If you stop by the Eôté Coffee Roastery or show up at one of their pop-up shops for a free cup of coffee, you will probably end up sipping coffee and chatting with Todd. His goal is to brighten your day, put a kick in your step, listen to your story, and let you know he appreciates you. Todd appreciates people because they exist. Yep, that’s it. I think we all can meet that criteria.
From an emotional and psychological perspective, if we are honest with each other, being appreciated feels good and, consequently, we perform better knowing we are appreciated. It can be difficult to give our best when we feel like our participation doesn’t matter. We feel more connected to other when we know they value us and our work.
Appreciation also dispels our doubts of self worth. You don’t have to be overly self-conscious or self-deprecating to doubt your contribution to the team. It’s just as easy to doubt your inclusion within a team on a personal level. But when others show their appreciation, it overcomes those worries. This results in more confidence to speak up, offer a new idea, and work harder for the overall team.
But the best part about showing appreciation as a leader isn’t the potential increased productivity from your team. It’s the subsequent personal growth instilled in your team members. A leader who regularly coveys her appreciation for others leaves people better than she found them. Appreciative leaders are investing in the individuals on their team in a way that will forever change the lives of their teammates. Sometimes it changes the lives of the leaders, too.
Would you like to be responsible for helping the people on your team be better parents, better spouses, better friends – just better humans? It’s really not difficult to do. It’s a long game instead of a short game, but well worth the investment.
Let others know you appreciate them – and change the world.
Thanks for reading. I appreciate you.
