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By William F. Nazzaro, founder of The Time to Lead Institute, leadership expert, performance and executive coach, and trusted advisor to leaders navigating transformation and cultural change.

Most leaders I meet will tell you they appreciate their teams.

But that’s not the real question.

The real question is: do your people feel appreciated?

Years ago, I heard a line that has stayed with me:

“As a leader, you have to learn to lead those who are different from you.”

That includes how you show appreciation. Left on autopilot, most leaders default to what feels natural to them—without realizing that their teams are made up of people who feel valued in very different ways.

If you’re honest, do you know how your team members most like to be appreciated—or are you guessing?

What the Five Language Actually Mean at Work

Based on the book The 5 Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace by Dr. Gary Chapman and Dr. Paul White, people tend to feel...