Appreciation is Essential

Cathie Leimbach • October 18, 2022

Human beings are emotional beings. For emotional and mental health, we require affirmation that we are valued as a person.  To be engaged at work, we also need to know that we are valued for the contributions we make to the organization’s success.  Yet, studies show that 40 to 65% of the workforce has not felt appreciated at work in the past year. 

When employees don’t FEEL appreciated and valued at work, they are 5 times as likely to be disengaged, 74% more likely to be looking for another job, and 27% more likely to be struggling in their personal life. The resulting depression and poor workplace productivity lead to lower self-esteem, poorer quality relationships, and declining physical health.

Many leaders think they are showing appreciation, yet their employees aren’t feeling valued. Generally this is because we, as leaders, aren’t being intentional enough in how we recognize our team members.

Effective recognition is not everyone getting a standard gift on their 5th anniversary at the company or being chosen as this week’s recipient of their supervisor’s thank you note through the company’s digital peer-appreciation portal.   Effective appreciation is fulfilling, authentic, equitable, and personalized.

Fulfilling – Appreciation involves feeling. The method of showing appreciation must help the recipient feel valued and fulfilled. Different people value different forms of appreciation differently. Discover which of the following mean the most to each team member and thank them accordingly. Is it words of affirmation, quality time, acts of service, gifts, or physical touch?

Authentic – Leaders must truly believe in the recognition they are giving their employees. Through the leader’s body language, tone of voice, and everyday attitude towards employees, team members discern whether their leader is being sincere Only sincere appreciation helps employees feel valued.

Equitable – Everyone deserves frequent and honest appreciation and feedback. It is effective to recognize different people in different ways to suit their preferences.  However, it is not okay to recognize some people daily and ignore others altogether. If you have an employee who truly is not adding any value in the workplace nor exhibiting any positive behaviors, why are they on your payroll?

Personalized – When you are recognizing an individual, be specific about a way they had energy to the team or a recent time they completed an important project very well and on time. Don’t simply point out that their team gets good results. Let them know that you are paying enough attention to them that you see something they are personally contributing.

To lead with excellence, leaders need to be worthy of followers. Showing appreciation to every team member so they Feel valued is an essential aspect of leadership. 

Which of the 4 characteristics of effective appreciation are you already doing well? Which aspect will you focus on improving this week?  

The Power of Strategic Choice: Making Room for What Matters

By Cathie Leimbach • November 10, 2025
In most organizations, the instinct is to add —more goals, more projects, more meetings. But as Juliet Funt, founder of the Juliet Funt Group, teaches in her Strategic Choice process, real leadership strength lies in deciding what to stop doing . Strategic Choice is the intentional narrowing of priorities—cutting away the clutter so teams can focus on what truly drives results. It’s a disciplined act of letting go: saying no to good ideas so there’s room for the great ones. Funt’s approach challenges leaders to pause, think, and create the mental and operational space their people need to perform at their best. By removing unnecessary tasks and misplaced effort, leaders make room for precision, innovation, and real thinking time. This isn’t about doing less—it’s about doing what matters most. When businesses adopt this mindset, they replace overwhelm with clarity and regain control of their time, energy, and outcomes. For small to mid-sized companies, embracing Strategic Choice can transform busyness into focus—and that focus is where sustainable growth begins. Want a quick visual overview? View Strategic Choice: Making Room for What Matters to see how this process helps leaders focus on what truly drives results.

Unlock Your Team's Potential: Fix Dysfunction, Boost the Bottom Line!

By Cathie Leimbach • November 4, 2025
Hey team leaders! Ever wonder why some companies soar while others stumble? Patrick Lencioni's bestseller, The Five Dysfunctions of a Team , nails it: workplace dysfunctions such as no trust, fear of conflict, lack of commitment, avoiding accountability, and ignoring results lead to mediocre performance at best. But here's the good news—smart leadership development changes the game! Start with building trust . Train leaders to open up and be vulnerable. Teams bond, ideas flow, and costly mistakes drop. Next, embrace healthy conflict . Teach team leaders to make it safe for team members to share the pros and cons of current or new ways of doing things. This helps everyone understand different perspectives. Then, drive commitment . Leaders who clarify goals, ask everyone to share their level of buy-in, and address their concerns get everyone bought in. People focus on high value work and get more done. . Hold folks accountable through coaching. Leaders learn to give kind, direct feedback by praising good work and calmly providing more training as needed. Turnover plummets and the quality and quantity of work improves. Finally, focus on results . Be clear on expectations. Keep score by monitoring progress weekly or daily. Acknowledge team wins when the goals are met. Winning sports teams pay attention to these Five Behaviors of a Team. How would a World Series winner have been determined this week without trust among the players and coaches, openness to tough coaching, the whole team working together, players focusing on their specific positions, and getting players around the bases to get the top score? Every workplace can benefit from these team behaviors as well. Lencioni's research proves it: Companies who prepare their leaders to overcome these 5 common workplace dysfunctions, improve the culture and see huge financial gains. Invest in your leaders today. Your bottom line will thank you! Click here to learn more about the painful cost of team dysfunction.