“Don’t forget, a person’s greatest emotional need is to feel appreciated.” —H. Jackson Brown Jr.
One of the top reasons that employees leave positions is because they feel misunderstood or underappreciated by their supervisor. The tragedy is that often supervisors are trying to appreciate their employees—they are just doing so ineffectively. Ineptly showing your gratitude is worse than not doing so at all. When you dole out cliche words of thanks, it seems hollow or out-of-touch. In order to make sure your gratitude is clearly heard and taken to heart, make sure it’s sincere and specific.
Sincere: First, when and how you thank others paves the way for how it’s heard. Do you throw a perfunctory “thanks” at the end of an email? Do you only express your appreciation when employees voice how stressed or exhausted they are? Intentionality and authenticity are essential. Make a practice of integrating appreciation into your routine. Take a moment to send an email sharing your gratitude. Seek a colleague out to personally express your appreciation. Thank members of your team individually and also make a point of recognizing them corporately.
Specific: Give personalized appreciation not generic compliments. Stop to identify exactly how they contribute to the success of your team or the latest project and then offer targeted feedback rather than worn-out platitudes. Think in terms of character traits, individual skills, and helpful practices. Don’t assume employees know what you appreciate. Spell it out and repeat your thanks regularly.
With only a few moments of time, you can strengthen your connection with members of your team, improve their morale, and renew their resolve for the work ahead.
