“I appreciate you.”

I heard this from a few colleagues and a friend in the last week or so. And then I heard it used in a TV commercial. Repeatedly. Perhaps a sign from the universe? I was starting to wonder if this was the North’s version of “Bless your heart!” Hint – if you hear this from a Southerner it may not be as sweet as it sounds. So, I did a little research and nope, I’m just slow to catch onto the trends. “I appreciate you” has been trending since about 2014 and its usage continues to grow. (There were 267,000,000 google results!)

The use of “I appreciate you” is attributed in part to the up-and-coming Gen Z (born in 1997 to 2012) and their tendency to value the inherent worth and dignity of other humans. If you want to read more about Gen Z characteristics and the influence they are about to have on everything read this McKinsey article.

This is not the same as “thank you,” which focuses on an object or service provided.  This is directed at the person.  As in- I appreciate you, as opposed to the thing you did for me. It can mean that they are thankful for what you offer in a relationship or grateful for your contribution in a situation.

“I appreciate you” is a more concrete than a simple thank you. It would seem to take our practice of gratitude to another level. So don’t save your attitude of gratitude for November. Think about who in your business (team, customers) or work day (vendors, colleagues, strategic partners, support staff) you appreciate and then tell them.

Thank you for reading the blog…. I appreciate you!