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Vague words, weasel words and all that

As the sessions progressed and we spoke about appreciation, we asked the group - so what exactly are you appreciating someone for? And came the reply:

Ownership

Responsbility

Accountability

Problem Solving

Planning

Prioritizing

Focus and so on. If the behaviour is identified correctly, the person might go back with a feeling, "this is what I need to repeat" or "this is my strength" and so on. 

And we also heard - Communication, Collaboration, Helping and Timely Delivery. What is the problem with these 4 words?

Communication and Collaboration are too vague and dont leave the person with something tangible. 

Helping, unless it can be measured and quantified is often a lazy term to be used when appreciating or justifying your time. 

And Timely Delivery is almost always an outcome - it is never the cause of appreciation. So, the next time you catch yourself using these vague words, pause and think, exactly what are you appreciating?

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