Recognition vs. Appreciation – Why Your Team Needs Both

We often use the words “recognition” and “appreciation” interchangeably, but there’s a big difference between them.

On the surface, they both sound positive and supportive. But if you’re a leader who wants your team to truly thrive — not just hit deadlines and survive busy season — understanding this distinction is crucial.

Recognition vs. Appreciation: What’s the Difference?

Recognition is about giving positive feedback based on results or performance.

• “You did a fantastic job on that client cleanup.” 

• “That year-end file was spotless — thank you.” 

• “You hit your targets this quarter. Well done.”

It’s tied to outcomes: goals met, projects completed, numbers achieved.

Appreciation, on the other hand, is about acknowledging a person’s inherent value — who they are, not just what they produce.

• “I really appreciate how patient you are with anxious clients.” 

• “Your calm presence makes tax season less stressful for everyone.” 

• “I value how you always step in to help teammates without being asked.”

Appreciation isn’t dependent on a specific win or metric. It’s about the human being behind the work.

Why This Distinction Matters

This distinction matters because recognition and appreciation are given for different reasons, and your team needs both.

Even when people succeed, there will always be:

• Projects that stall or change direction 

• Clients who don’t say thank you 

• Busy seasons where the work never feels “done” 

• Learning curves where mistakes are part of the process

Sometimes, depending on the project, there may not even be tangible results to point to yet. If you focus solely on praising positive outcomes — on recognition — you miss out on countless opportunities to connect with and support your team members.

That’s where appreciation comes in.

Appreciation says:

• “You matter even when the project is messy.” 

• “You’re valuable even when we’re still figuring things out.” 

• “I see your effort, your character, and your heart — not just your output.”

In high-pressure environments like bookkeeping and accounting, where deadlines are constant and perfection feels like the standard, this is huge. Your team needs to know they are more than their billable hours or error-free files.

What Happens When You Only Recognize, But Don’t Appreciate

When leaders lean heavily on recognition and neglect appreciation, a few things tend to show up:

• Burnout: People feel like they’re only as good as their last win. 

• Fear of failure: Team members become afraid to try new things because mistakes feel like a threat to their worth. 

• Quiet resentment: They may think, “They love me when I’m producing, but do they value me as a person?” 

• Transactional culture: The relationship becomes, “You perform, I praise,” instead of, “We’re in this together.”

  
  

Recognition alone can create a conditional sense of belonging: I’m valued when I’m performing at my best.

Appreciation creates a stable foundation: I’m valued as a human being, even when I’m learning, struggling, or in a season that’s stretching me.

What Happens When You Add Appreciation

When you intentionally build appreciation into your leadership, a different picture emerges:

• Psychological safety increases — people feel safer asking questions and admitting mistakes. 

• Engagement goes up — team members are more willing to go the extra mile when they feel seen and valued. 

• Loyalty deepens — people are far less likely to jump ship when they feel genuinely cared for. 

• Performance actually improves — because people do their best work when they’re not constantly bracing for criticism or chasing the next gold star.

For leaders and firm owners, this isn’t about being “soft.” It’s about creating a culture where high performance and human dignity can coexist.

Practical Ways to Use Both

Here’s how you can start weaving both recognition and appreciation into your day-to-day leadership:

Name the win (recognition). Be specific: “You caught that GST error before it went to the client — that saved us a lot of back-and-forth.”

Name the person (appreciation). Add: “I really value how detail-oriented and conscientious you are. Our clients trust us more because of that.”

Don’t wait for big milestones. Offer quick check-ins and small moments of appreciation during busy weeks, not just at year-end or review time.

Look beyond the numbers. Appreciate qualities like kindness, resilience, humour, honesty, and teamwork — especially when the results are still in progress.

Model it yourself. Let your team see you appreciating others — and yourself. Leaders who only ever self-criticize unintentionally set that as the norm.

The Bottom Line for Leaders

Recognition and appreciation are not the same thing — and your team needs both.

Recognition says, “I see what you did.”Appreciation says, “I see who you are.”

For leaders who want their teams to thrive and for organizations that want to create cultures of engagement, loyalty, and high performance, understanding — and practicing — this distinction is non-negotiable.

If you’re not sure where to start, try this today: pick one person on your team and offer them one sentence of recognition and one sentence of appreciation. Notice how it feels for you — and for them.

Until next time,