Welcome to this unit where you'll learn how to express genuine appreciation during 1-1 meetings to ensure your team feels truly valued and motivated. Avoiding generic praise, linking the recognition to personal impact, and acknowledging effort and sacrifice are key strategies you'll master here.

Expressing genuine appreciation starts with avoiding generic praise. Simple and vague compliments like "Good job" often come off as insincere. Instead, aim for specific and detailed feedback. For example, rather than saying "Great job", you could remark, "I was really impressed with how thoroughly you debugged the system issue—it made a significant impact on our timeline." Such specificity makes your praise more meaningful and appreciated.

Next, understand the importance of connecting your appreciation to how it impacts you personally. By letting your team know how their good work has a broader significance, you build a deeper connection. For instance, saying "Your dedication to meeting the deadline allowed me to present our success to senior management confidently" adds a personal touch and makes your gratitude more sincere.

A key aspect of genuine appreciation is acknowledging the effort and sacrifices made by your team members. It’s not just about the outcome, but also the hard work that went into achieving it. When you recognize the effort, it shows you value the entire process. For example, you might express, "I know you worked late nights to get this done. Your effort didn't go unnoticed and it's greatly appreciated by the whole team." This not only validates their dedication but also demonstrates empathy, which strengthens their motivation and engagement.

Let's see a hypothetical dialogue between a manager and their direct report to observe all of these techniques in action:

• Chris: Natalie, I wanted to talk about the project you completed last week.
• Natalie: Sure, Chris. What's on your mind?
• Chris: I was really impressed with how you debugged the system issue so thoroughly. It made a significant impact on our timeline.
• Natalie: Thank you, Chris. I'm glad it helped.
• Chris: Also, your dedication to meeting the deadline allowed me to present our success to senior management with confidence.
• Natalie: It feels good to know that my work is appreciated.
• Chris: I know you worked late nights to get this done. Your effort didn't go unnoticed and is greatly appreciated by the whole team.

Get ready for the upcoming role-play sessions where you'll practice these skills and refine your approach to expressing genuine appreciation.