The Power of..."I Appreciate You"

If you are not saying this phrase and meaning it to people that work for you, with you, or just in your life, you are missing out.

I work with lots of professionals both in my company and outside of it. Most of the time, I do not see or meet anyone face to face for about a year. I have to build trust and relationships through a phone or computer screen. This means I have to rely on people to help me reach my goals that I never have a physical handshake with sometimes.

That kind of trust can bother some, but I absolutely love it. Building relationships this way can create long lasting connections. When you do finally meet them in person, it is like you have been friends for years. I have received big hugs from people my first true face to face with them.

I am also a huge fan of thanking those that helped me reach a goal or have gotten me to where I am today. I do this by saying the simple phrase, "I appreciate you." When I say it, I mean it too. I do not say it just once, I say it multiple times. Everyone loves to be recognized for their efforts and hearing that phrase can change their entire outlook on everything.

I once had a boss that made every single win his team had about him. Even though he often did nothing to contribute to results he always said, "This is what my area did." This is what my team did." or "This is what I did." Never giving recognition to those that helped him get there.

When things went sideways, he was quick to blame and made sure everyone knew it was their fault. He did not pick people up, he put them back down and made them feel miserable.

I promised myself that when I got to his level, I would never be that boss. Do I have tough conversations, you bet. Have I made tough decisions that affected someone's career? Yes. I also let everyone know when someone does an excellent job. I scream it from the mountains because I feel we do not do that enough anymore in the corporate world.

I have watched people tear up reading a positive shoutout I gave them to their boss and other leaders in the company. I have seen people completely overwhelmed or tired after a project smile when they were recognized for their efforts.

At the end of every shoutout, I share with the person, "I appreciate you" and mean it.

That is my challenge to all leaders out there. Say this phrase to your team more and mean it every single time. People can see through the bull crap and know when you are being fake or saying it just to say it. Mean it and say it often when it is deserved. You are going to change the dynamic of your team in ways you never thought possible.

Have a great weekend LinkedIn! To all my followers and those that share my posts, I appreciate you!

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