Leadership Series – Generating Appreciation

Let’s face it – good leadership doesn’t just happen.  It’s a skill that is developed and honed.  One of the most important leadership skills that is often lacking, especially in corporate environments, is the skill of generating and showing appreciation.

Appreciation isn’t just a holiday sentiment or shown at bonus time – it’s something that matters all year long.  The ability to give and show genuine appreciation creates strong connections, demonstrates understanding and compassion, and helps others feel seen and recognized.

In order to grow as a leader, it’s important to see appreciation in two ways – being open to fully receiving appreciation and being able to fully give appreciation.  As women, we often tend to downplay appreciation, worrying what others will think if we fully accept a compliment.  We’d rather give appreciation more than receive it, often deflecting it when it is given.

But in order to become a better female leader, you need to become masterful at both giving and receiving appreciation, allowing the unique gifts of everyone, including yourself, to be recognized.  When you grow appreciation for yourself, it also becomes easier to appreciate others as well.

Masterful appreciation is sincere, unarguable, specific, and succinct, but more importantly, it’s genuinely expressed.  By not only appreciating others, but also learning to appreciate yourself as well, it makes it possible for the giver and the receiver to feel positive.  It really doesn’t take much to express gratitude, but the rewards will surely outweigh the effort.  

Masterful appreciation also comes with no agenda and no expectation.  It’s a sincere acknowledgement of someone’s value to you, and you to them.  Think about it – you probably have no idea how much something you say in the form of appreciation could be exactly what that person needed to hear.  Never assume that anyone knows you appreciate them – you have to be vulnerable enough to express it and accept it.

Great leaders generate appreciation in all areas of their life – are you generating it in yours?

Let’s be honest – the world needs better leaders at work and at home.  Are you ready to become a better leader?

Source – “The 15 Commitments Of Conscious Leadership”