The Courage That Unlocks Breakthrough Leadership
It feels like walking on the skinny branches. That’s the thought racing through my mind as I stand before another workshop group. I notice their guarded faces, their crossed arms. What if they don’t like it? What if they don’t like me?
Fear whispers its usual advice: play it safe. Stick to the slides. Keep it professional.
But I’ve learned something powerful in my 58 years. The very things we think protect us are often the ones that kill our impact.
When Everything Changed
This workshop began like so many others. Participants seemed resistant, unsure, even skeptical. I could almost hear their silent question: “What’s this consultant going to try to sell us now?”
In that moment, I had a choice: protect myself or give them my heart.
I chose my heart.
And something remarkable happened. As I opened up and shared authentically—giving them all of myself—the room shifted. The walls softened. The energy grew. We connected. I fell in love with the group, and, unexpectedly, they returned that love with engagement, participation, laughter, and growth.
Magic happened.
The Lie We’ve Been Sold
After decades in organizational transformation, here’s what I’ve discovered: we’ve been taught a lie.
That appreciation is cheap. That people get paid for their work, and that should be enough. That appreciation is “soft” and results come only from pressure and tangible outputs.
But this mindset is backwards—and costly.
The truth is, when people don’t feel genuinely seen, heard, and appreciated, performance suffers. Breakthrough results, extraordinary performance, and innovation all decline.
Appreciation isn’t at odds with results. It’s the lifeblood of them.
The Performance Paradox
For years, I believed the corporate myth that caring was weakness and acknowledgment was fluff. That pressure, not people, produced outcomes.
I was wrong.
The more people feel appreciated, the more willing they are to take accountability for extraordinary outcomes. The more valued they feel, the more they rise to the challenge.
This isn’t soft leadership—it’s breakthrough leadership. It’s also authentic leadership, the kind that connects, inspires, and builds trust.
What Real Appreciation Actually Looks Like
True appreciation is far more than a program, review, or “employee of the month” award. It’s human. It’s messy. And it’s powerful.
It looks like noticing when someone stays late to support a colleague—not because they had to, but because of who they are.
It’s acknowledging persistence, not just solutions.
“Good job” means little. But calling out specific qualities can be transformative:
“The way you stayed calm under pressure during that client crisis and generated three solutions—that resilience makes this team extraordinary.”
Or:
“Your attention to detail gives me confidence that our clients are truly cared for. That matters deeply to me.”
It’s recognizing the ripple effect when someone mentors a colleague, knowing they’re shaping the organizational culture for the whole team.
Appreciation isn’t a task to check off. It’s an opportunity to build the trust and relationships that fuel leadership development and breakthrough performance.
The Courage to Care
Real appreciation requires courage because it demands vulnerability. It asks us to drop our protective walls and connect human to human.
But here’s the gift: when we truly see and appreciate others, we create space for them to become their best selves. We light up, and they light up.
Beyond the noise. Beyond disagreement. Beyond fear.
What remains is what truly matters: treating people with dignity and respect, caring deeply, and showing it. And when people feel this care, they tend to give it back.
Your Moment of Choice
You face the same choice I did in that workshop: keep your distance, keep appreciation surface-level—or step out on those skinny branches and give your heart.
Think of one person on your team whose character you admire. Not their productivity. Not their compliance. Their character.
Tell them what you see and why it matters.
Then watch. Watch how they light up. Watch how their performance transforms.
Because appreciation isn’t just “nice to have.” It’s the foundation of every breakthrough result.
The magic is waiting. All it requires is the courage to stop protecting yourself and start truly seeing the remarkable people around you.
So—what skinny branch will you step out on today?
Ready to explore how authentic appreciation fuels breakthrough leadership, strengthens organizational culture, and drives business transformation? Share your appreciation story with us.
Fundamental of the Week #20: APPRECIATE AND ACKNOWLEDGE
Regularly let people know you appreciate their qualities. Being acknowledged for a task well done is important; being acknowledged for a character quality is lasting.
Momentum Consulting offers executive business coaching, top-level executive consulting, team training, and team off-sites to build and transform your business to the next level. Inquire about business consulting and leadership coaching today.
