Appreciation as a Leadership Skill
Most leaders are trained to manage problems. Few are trained to amplify what's already working. Here's why appreciation is a trainable, strategic leadership skill — and how to develop it.
Human-Centered Leadership
Appreciate What Is. Amplify What's Possible.
Workshops, retreats, and frameworks that help leaders recognize what's working, amplify strengths, and build cultures people want to stay in.
Three Paths
Where Would You Like to Begin?
Each path is distinct, yet woven from the same thread: the power of deliberate appreciation.
Gratitude Storytelling Retreats
Immersive experiences where teams turn shared moments into meaningful stories — building connection, cohesion, and a culture of genuine recognition.
Explore Retreats →Strengths-Based Leadership
Workshops that shift the default from "what's broken" to "what's brilliant" — practical tools for everyday leadership that actually changes culture.
Explore Workshops →Appreciative Inquiry
A proven methodology for organizational change — starting with what's working and building co-created momentum toward what's possible.
Explore Approach → The Framework
The Appreciator Method
A four-step practice for turning appreciation from a vague organizational value into a daily leadership discipline.
1
Notice Slow down enough to see what's actually working — in people, in processes, in moments others overlook.
2
Name Give specific language to what you observed. Vague appreciation fades. Precise naming sticks and grows.
3
Narrate Share the story behind what you noticed. Context creates meaning. Meaning creates culture that lasts.
4
Nudge Use what you've named and narrated to encourage more of what's working. Appreciation becomes forward momentum.
Looking for Innovation Training?
Appreciator.org is the human-centered complement to InnovationTraining.org — same philosophy, different focus.
Latest Thinking
From the Appreciator Blog
Appreciative Inquiry Explained (Without the Fluff)
AI — the other AI — is one of the most evidence-based organizational change approaches available. Here's a plain-language breakdown of how it actually works.
How to Run a 'What's Working' Retro
Most team retrospectives focus on what went wrong. This format flips the lens — and produces more actionable outcomes than a typical problem-first retro.
Ready to Build a More Appreciative Culture?
Whether you're planning a retreat, designing a workshop, or simply want to lead differently — let's start a conversation.