“I Appreciate…”: A Simple Feedback Exercise for Teams

Regular, thoughtful feedback is key to building strong relationships and high-performing teams. 

The “I Appreciate…” exercise is a gentle way to introduce feedback in groups that are still getting comfortable with each other. It encourages participants to share appreciation and curiosity in a supportive way. This exercise works equally well face-to-face or online.

Number of participants: 40+

Time needed: Between 60 - 120 minutes

Materials: Post-it notes or digital sticky notes, pens or markers

Step 1: Prepare the group

The aim of feedback exercises is to foster trust, openness, and self-awareness within a team. Always approach them with care and keep an eye on group dynamics.

Divide participants into small teams of 4-6 people. Each group should have at least some experience working together so that feedback is meaningful. For online sessions, use breakout rooms for these smaller groups.

Step 2: Explain the instructions

Ask participants to write feedback for each person in their group using the following template. Encourage them to keep their feedback clear and constructive:

“To [Name]:

• What I appreciate most about you is…

• What I would like to see more from you is…

  
  

From [Your Name]”

Step 3: Share the feedback

Each participant writes a separate note for every other person in their group. When everyone has finished, they share their feedback aloud, either handing over the post-it or sending the digital note to the recipient.

This simple exercise helps teams build appreciation, curiosity, and constructive communication in a low-pressure setting.