The Burning Question for Leadership: Do Your Team Members Feel Appreciated?

In the rush of daily tasks, leaders often focus on performance targets and overlook appreciation, a fundamental aspect of leadership and a basic human need. Many leaders feel too busy or uncomfortable showing appreciation, but it’s not about time or extravagance—it’s about being timely, specific, and authentic. Overcoming internal beliefs and discomfort with praise requires intentional practice. The key is to shift from celebrating only big wins to making daily "appreciation deposits," which build trust, motivation, and a strong foundation for long-term leadership success.

Leaders, if you want to embrace the power of everyday appreciation, dig for these gems, overcome the internal barriers and turn up authentically for your team,  read on more!

The importance of Appreciation At The Workplace.

Let’s start with the financial impact . Studies have shown that disengaged employees, many of whom feel undervalued or unappreciated, cost businesses heavily in lost productivity and absenteeism. According to Gallup, disengaged workers contribute to a global productivity loss of $8.8 trillion annually.

Moving on to the neuroscience. Appreciation triggers dopamine in the brain, boosting mood, motivation, and reinforcing positive behaviour. Simply put, appreciation wires your team’s brains for success.

Appreciation as a Daily Deposit: Building Emotional Bank Accounts

So,  each time you appreciate your team, you're not just making them feel good—you're making daily 'deposits' into their emotional bank accounts. Over time, these deposits build a reservoir of trust and motivation that can be drawn upon during tough times.

Everyday appreciation matters as much if not more than annual awards. The annual ones are not  enough to sustain long-term engagement and performance. According to a Gallup research, employees who receive regular recognition are more engaged, productive, and loyal. In fact, companies that prioritize regular appreciation see 31% lower voluntary turnover rates compared to those that don’t. This is because appreciation isn’t just about acknowledging what someone has done—it’s about making them feel seen, valued, and integral to the team. I often tell the leaders I coach that appreciation should be as natural and regular as breathing. Together we explore how to ‘dig for the gold’ in the midst of a busy day

Digging for the Gold

To truly appreciate your team, you need to invest time in understanding them and in tracking the myriad ways they impact their work and others, beyond the KPIs/ OKRs.  Appreciation is not a one-size-fits-all concept. If you try to express appreciation in ways that aren’t meaningful to your co-workers, they may not feel valued at all.

Understanding how each team member best receives recognition—whether it's through words of affirmation, quality time, acts of service, tangible gifts, or appropriate physical touch (think high-fives or handshakes)—can transform workplace culture.  Start by:

Observing Keenly: How a person shows appreciation to others is possibly how they like to receive it themselves. Example: Do they do little things for their coworkers, like offer to review a presentation, write an appreciative email, listen attentively?

Listening Attentively: Example: What does a person often complain about or request for? More face time with you, public appreciation or challenging assignments?

Tracking the Gold

A common fallacy leaders make, is to trust their memory. Especially when they lead large teams.  What works best if of course instant, in-the-moment recognition. The next best alternative is to find a way to keep track of the moments. You don’t need a fancy app. A small note book, a WhatsApp group with yourself, a note taker on the phone – somewhere you can note down the thought in under a minute.

When you did for the gold – look not just for what they do but also

✔️ Who they are being – persistent? Collaborative? Assertive? Thoughtful?

✔️ How are they impacting others – Feel supported? Feel Motivated?

Create a 5-15 min block on your calendar on a daily or weekly basis to review your “notes” and slot how you will appreciate them – a quick note sent instantly, a 10 call scheduled on the calendar, a reminder to call out at the next weekly all hands or put into a folder for use at the next 1-0-1.

How To Recognise People Beyond a ‘High Five’ and ‘Great Job’

Now that you have a list of people and aspects you want to recognise, you get to choose how to recognise them. Recognition can be of different types. Here are some options:

❇️ You went out of the way for the team) or Non-verbal (Clapping when they walk into the team meeting)

❇️ For their doing (That was a well-crafted deck) or being (You are very diligent)

❇️ Generic (well done) or specific (Great job in responding to that difficult question from the client yesterday with concrete examples)

❇️ Empathy (you look sick, poor you) or empathy with action (I had gone to the coffee shop and got hot coffee for you as well. I hope it helps with your headache)

❇️ Offer (let me know if I can help, I am here for you) or action (Here, I can sort these while you print out)

❇️ Remembrance (Happy Birthday!) or Making it a special occasion (A signed card and cake from all the team)

❇️ Direct (You did brilliantly) or Indirect (Get a senior leader to write to the person acknowledging the work)

❇️ Quantitative attention (Monthly 1-0-1 mentoring) or qualitative attention (Active listening, resonance and deep engagement)

When we align our appreciation with their preferred appreciation language, we unlock their full potential and engagement, driving both individual and organizational success. 🚀

Coaching leaders to harness these approaches has led to stronger teams, increased engagement, and a more cohesive, supportive work environment.

Here are some additional tips:

💡Take Time to Get to Know Your Team. There is no substitute for genuine connections and personalized recognition

💡 Be Authentic: Dig enough to find the elements to truly appreciate. Maybe you don’t like the paining. You may find the effort, intent, colour palette or the frame worth appreciating!

💡 Embed It in Team Culture: Make it a ritual in meetings or introduce a fun activity that makes giving recognition seamless for those on the fence.

💡 Set a Schedule: Don’t expect to spontaneously remember to recognise. Put a process in place for yourself.

💡 Start Small: Most importantly, be kind to yourself. Over time, small deposits build a strong foundation of trust and motivation.

Overcome Your Own Discomfort: Feeling awkward is common, but it’s something you can overcome. Work with a Coach or a Therapist to uncover your beliefs, mindsets, fears or cultural models that come in the way.

So, ask yourself: What small acts of appreciation will you start practicing today? Don’t let busyness or discomfort hold you back from building stronger, more motivated teams.

If you're ready to transform your leadership style and unlock the potential of your team through the power of authentic, everyday appreciation, I am here to help.

Reach out to me for a chat on how I can support you to make appreciation a core part of your leadership toolkit. Let’s create an environment where your team doesn’t just hear the words—they truly feel appreciated.