Leadership Thought: Encouragement, A Quality You Can't Afford to Be Without

Dear Friends,

In their book, Encouraging the Heart, James Kouzes and Barry Posner state that they asked thousands of workers the following question: “Do you need encouragement to do a good job?” That’s interesting; think about it. How many people do you suppose answered in the affirmative?

The authors were surprised to discover only 40% of those in the poll answered yes.

After giving the question some thought, Kouzes and Posner revisited the people with a slightly different question. “Would encouragement help you do a better job?” The response to this question revealed a yes from 98% of the people.

The researchers realized that answering the first question in the positive was paramount to saying I am not a self-starter, or I can’t motivate myself. By rewording the question, they got a more truthful and accurate response. Encouragement does help people do a better job. Quoted from Encouragement, The Art of Giving, The Joy of Receiving, Walt Wiley p. 17

If you are like the vast amount of people, I’m sure you would also answer in the affirmative. Encouragement does make a difference in our performance. Sometimes, it is the difference between success and failure.

The word encourage means to inspire, to hearten, to reassure, to motivate, to stir up, and to spur on. Who doesn’t long to experience the impact such words can have in our lives?

Whoever said, “encouragement is oxygen to the soul,” was right for we can’t live long without it.

I had a high school football coach who made a difference through his ‘relentless’ encouragement. I know my life is different because I had a cheerleading mom who was always in my corner. I was fortunate to have an encouraging  pastor to urged me to accept a call to a church that I felt inadequate to accept, and that decision was life changing.

An unknown writer expressed it well: “Friendship is not about who you’ve known the longest. It’s about who walked into your life, said, “I’m here for you and proved it.”

The late author and motivational speakers. Zig Ziglar wrote one of the most important books I have ever read. See You at the Top. This book Impacted me more than any other book I’ve read with the exception of the Bible. Zig writes, “A lot of people have gone further than they thought they could because someone else thought they could.”

Is there someone you know who would benefit from a few words of encouragement. Pick up the phone, or a pen and let them know you love them, you are praying for them and that you will always be there for them. Your words might be like a fresh spring of water to a thirsty soul.

The Apostle Paul writes “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact, you are doing.” (First Thessalonians 5:11)

Yours in faith and friendship,

Tom

P.S. Another quote from my friend Zig, “A lot of people have gone further than they thought they could because someone else thought they could.”