“Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless.”

This timeless quote from Mother Teresa perfectly captures the  positive impact that simple acknowledgments can have. Yet, as a supervisor balancing deadlines and deliverables, it’s sometimes a struggle to find time to recognize top team members—especially when your energy may be drained due to difficult conversations with underperformers.

When I was a university department manager, I faced the same challenge. My old-school solution? Scribbling reminders in my calendar! Those notes prompted me to pause and offer much-needed praise for projects well done.

It seems this challenge of balancing productivity with praise is universal. Perhaps that’s why Ken Blanchard’s The One Minute Manager became a bestseller in the 1980s. His advice to “catch employees doing something right” resonated then and remains relevant today.

When you carve out a couple minutes to commend your team members, make it count! Specific praise is more powerful than generic compliments. For example:

• “Great job leading the staff meeting this morning.”
• “I was impressed with how you resolved that client concern.”
• “This report was so thorough—thank you!”

Even a short “Thank you” or “I appreciate you” can make someone’s day.

In remote work settings, digital acknowledgements bridge the gap, reminding team members they’re seen and valued—even across the miles. A thoughtful note in a team chat, a recognition post on your company’s intranet, or even a short email can carry just as much weight as an in-person “Thank you.” For instance:

• “Great insights in today’s meeting—your perspective helped clarify our next steps!”
• “Thanks for jumping in to resolve that issue so quickly—it made a big difference!”

When writing my book If You Can’t Say Something Nice, What DO You Say?, I decided to include a list of phrases of praise—the ones I wish I would have had for easy reference when I was a supervisor.

As an experiment, I surveyed my then-teenage daughter and her friends, asking them to write down every phrase of praise they would want to hear. Their responses reminded me that simple, enthusiastic words resonate universally—whether you’re motivating a teenager or managing a team.

Teen-Tested Praise That Works Across Generations
Here are the quick kudos the teens came up with:

• Awesome
• Brilliant
• Excellent
• Fantastic
• Good work
• Great participation
• I’m proud of you
• Incredible
• Love it
• Marvelous
• Nice job
• Nice try
• Perfect
• Superb
• Super
• Well done
• Wonderful job
• Woo hoo!
• Yeah!
• You rock!

And, by the way, gestures like a thumbs-up, fist bump, or a high five can be just as meaningful as words.

So, as you strive to help your team come alive, remember:  a little kindness—whether through words, gestures, or high fives—can make all the difference.  Let’s thrive in 2025!