101 Ways to Say "Excellent"
FOR THOSE DAYS WHEN YOU CAN’T THINK OF WHAT TO SAY
Courtesy of Arzella Dirksen, Founder, HelpCenter 4, KCNC Television
During a recession in Denver, unemployment was high. The local NBC news affiliate, KCNC, brought us into the nightly TV broadcasts to sponsor a call-in night for job hunters. I took eight or ten CareerLab® consultants and human resources executives to the station, and we answered questions on camera. Each night I did a standup with the reporter to describe our purpose. This was great publicity for us, and a wonderful community service.
The event was held in the HelpCenter, a community outreach founded by Arzella Dirksen, one of the first such programs in the nation. The idea was that viewers could call in with a wide array of consumer questions, and Arzella’s army of volunteers tried to help. Arzella invented this list of 101 Ways to Say “Excellent!” and posted it by each workstation.
It’s not complete, by any means, but it’s a good start toward inspiring yourself and everyone around you: family, friends, co-workers, even strangers. Take it for what it’s worth, pass it around, and add any kudos or praise that’s missing.
- You’re on the right track now!
- You’ve got it made. SUPER!
- That’s right!
- That’s good.
- You’re really working hard today.
- You are very good at that.
- That’s coming along nicely.
- GOOD WORK!
- I’m happy to see you working like that.
- That’s much, much better!
- Exactly right.
- I’m proud of the way you worked today.
- You’re doing that much better today.
- You’ve just about got it.
- That’s the best you’ve ever done.
- You’re doing a good job.
- THAT’S IT!
- Now you’ve figured it out.
- I knew you could do it.
- Congratulations!
- Not bad.
- Keep working on it.
- You’re improving.
- Now you have it!
- You are learning fast.
- Good for you!
- Couldn’t have done it better myself.
- Aren’t you proud of yourself?
- One more time and you’ll have it.
- You really make my job fun.
- That’s the right way to do it.
- You’re getting better every day.
- You did it that time!
- That’s not half bad.
- Nice going.
- You haven’t missed a thing!
- WOW!
- That’s the way!
- Keep up the good work.
- TERRIFIC!
- Nothing can stop you now.
- That’s the way to do it.
- SENSATIONAL!
- You’ve got your brain in gear today.
- That’s better.
- That was first class work.
- EXCELLENT
- That’s the best ever.
- You’ve just about mastered it.
- PERFECT!
- That’s better than ever.
- Much better!
- WONDERFUL!
- You must have been practicing.
- You did that very well.
- FINE!
- Nice going.
- You’re really going to town.
- OUTSTANDING!
- FANTASTIC!
- TREMENDOUS!
- That’s how to handle that.
- Now that’s what I call a fine job.
- That’s great.
- Right on!
- You’re really improving.
- You’re doing beautifully!
- SUPERB!
- Good remembering.
- You’ve got that down pat.
- You certainly did well today.
- Keep it up!
- Congratulations. You got it right!
- You did a lot of work today.
- Well look at you go.
- That’s it.
- I’m very proud of you.
- MARVELOUS!
- I like that.
- Way to go!
- Now you have the hang of it.
- You’re doing fine!
- Good thinking.
- You are really learning a lot.
- Good going.
- I’ve never seen anyone do it better.
- Keep on trying.
- You outdid yourself today!
- Good for you!
- I think you’ve got it now.
- That’s a good (boy/girl).
- Good job, (person’s name).
- You figured that out fast.
- You remembered!
- That’s really nice.
- That kind of work makes me happy.
- It’s such a pleasure to teach when you work like that!
- I think you’re doing the right thing.
In reviewing the list, I see Arzella forgot “Awesome!” and “Totally Awesome!,” two expressions in favor now. Adding them brings the total to 103.
The Urban Dictionary gives us badass, gnarly, insane, kickass, rad, radical, sweet, and wicked; eight more. If we pair “totally” with each one, “totally badass,” “totally gnarly,” and so on, that’s another eight, bringing the grand total to 119.
This is fun, and the list could still grow, but when praising someone in my consulting work, I prefer to keep it simple: “That’s very nice. I’m proud of you.”