335 | The Missing Key to Employee Engagement: Why Appreciation Matters More Than Recognition with Dr. William Attaway

In this episode, Jenni sits down with Dr. William Attaway, CEO of Appreciation at Work, for a conversation about what it really means to help people feel seen, known, and valued at work.

Drawing from decades of leadership coaching and his work with organizations across a wide range of industries, William shares why appreciation is different from recognition—and why that distinction matters more than most leaders realize. Together, Jenni and William explore how appreciation impacts employee engagement, retention, productivity, and trust, while offering practical ways leaders can build cultures where people thrive.

You'll hear insights on:

• Why recognition rewards performance, but appreciation values the person
• How leaders can maintain both high accountability and genuine encouragement
• The connection between clarity, trust, and employee engagement
• Why self-awareness is one of the most important leadership disciplines
• What healthy leaders do consistently that struggling leaders often neglect
• How to navigate workplace uncertainty and technological change without losing the human element of leadership

Throughout the conversation, Jenni and William reinforce a core leadership truth: culture is built one interaction at a time. When people feel seen, heard, and valued, they engage more deeply, contribute more fully, and help create the kind of culture everyone wants to be part of.

Dr. William Attaway is the CEO of Appreciation at Work, founder of Catalytic Leadership, author of Catalytic Leadership: 12 Keys to Becoming an Intentional Leader Who Makes a Difference, and host of the Catalytic Leadership Podcast. Learn more about his work at appreciationatwork.com and catalyticleadership.net.

We need your help to get the LeadCulture podcasts in front of more leaders! There are three simple things you can do that truly help us:

1. Leave a Review - head over to Apple podcasts (even if that’s not where you listen) and leave a review! This will help more people find us when they search for leadership podcasts. 
2. Subscribe - we’re available wherever you listen to podcasts.
3. Share - let your friends know about the podcast by sharing your favorite episode on social media!