Professional Development – Doug Dickerson on Leadership

When the Cure is Worse Than the Problem

Posted November 28, 2021November 28, 2021
by admin

Learn from the mistakes of others. You can never live long enough to make them all yourself. – Groucho Marx

I’d like to share with you about the time I was passed out on the kitchen floor at my parent’s house. In my defense, alcohol was involved.

I was around 10 or 11, and my sister and I were in the big field out behind our house. As we were walking along, I was pulling weeds. We were headed back to the house and as we were making our way to the backyard, I reached down to pull one last weed out of the ground before going inside. This time when I did, it slit my index finger open.

As we approached the house, my instinct was to go up to the water faucet and start cleaning it up. Blood was everywhere and my blue winter coat was soaked in it which only created more alarm on the part of my sister who promptly went inside to tell my mother – not a good move.

Once inside, my mother did as I had predicted she would – she panicked! My dad was at work and so she was almost hysterical in trying to figure out what to do. She had me stand at the sink and put my hand over it so as not to spill blood on the floor. Then she left.

A few moments later she returned with a bottle of rubbing alcohol. I was under the impression that she would only pour just a little of it on my finger in order to “kill the germs”. In her panic and to my astonishment, my mother turned the bottle upside down and proceeded to pour all of it onto my finger!

For a brief moment I recalled letting out a scream – but not much after that as I then passed out onto the kitchen floor. In her desire to help me with my cut finger, I was now passed out on the floor that she didn’t want any blood on just moments before.

There are a few lessons I learned from that experience that applies to us in leadership. See how these resonate with you.

Sometimes problems look worse than they are

As a leader, you will experience problems and issues of varying degrees all the time. In those moments, be careful not to exaggerate the problem beyond what it is. It’s likely you will have others around you doing that already. Your job as the leader is to accurately define the situation and calmly convey the right course of action that’s needed. Not every problem requires you to dump the whole bottle of alcohol on it to fix it. Stay calm and think it through.

Sometimes the “cure” is worse than the problem

In a way that I am not fully capable of explaining, my sweet mother, God rest her soul, in the heat of the moment believed that an entire bottle of rubbing alcohol was the “cure” to my cut. There will be times in leadership when those around you may propose a solution to a problem that is not worthy of the problem. Click To Tweet In the heat of the moment, you need to be clear-eyed and accurately assess the situation and not make matters worse. The damage caused by the cure can make a very manageable problem much larger simply by doing the wrong thing.

Sometimes you have to hide the alcohol from your mother

I am now able to look back on that experience and laugh over what happened that day. But had I known what was going to happen before leaving the house to go on that walk, I would have hidden that bottle of rubbing alcohol from her.

As a leader, you will be exposed to people from whom you need to hide the alcohol. I bet you can name at least one of them now, am I right? But more importantly, as a leader, you need to be about training your people not to see “problems” but to see the opportunities before them and gear them toward a solution mindset versus a problem mindset. Then when they come to you, they don’t just come with a problem, they come with ideas on how to solve it.

Let’s be careful not to make the cure worse than the problem. There is a better way.

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Three Ways To Know If You Are a Directionally Challenged Leader

Posted September 17, 2021September 17, 2021
by admin

If you do not change direction, you may end up where you are heading. – Lao Tzu

The voice of my daughter on the other end of the phone was one of panic. “I’m leaving the outlet mall and I’m lost,” she said emphatically. That she may have found herself lost was not a surprise. So I took her through a series of questions about her surroundings and what may or may not have been familiar landmarks to help me help her navigate her way home.

Even before GPS and the ability we now have to navigate, I have always been good with directions. If I’ve been someplace once, generally speaking, I will never need directions again to go back, even if it’s been a long time between trips.

Once when I was about five years old, my family was visiting relatives up in Evanston, Illinois. One day we left the house and went several blocks up the street to watch the 4th of July parade.

Remembering that I had left something at the house, I ditched my cousins and the rest of the group and headed back to the house. By the time they realized I was no longer with them, it was too late.

To their amazement, not only did I remember which house was theirs but I made my way back to them. Thankfully for my family, I developed my sense of direction at an early age.

For many, being directionally challenged is not fun. Being lost isn’t either. It can generate a lot of anxiety and concerns – especially for the parents of a wandering five-year-old.

In an article by Glassdoor, they listed the seven types of companies that you should never work for. Coming in at number seven was “The directionless ship”. The red flags, they say, are “no clear plan for the future, employees don’t know long-term goals, senior leadership fails to adequately communicate”.

The people in your organization need a leader at the helm that is not directionally challenged. They want and deserve a leader with the ability to instill confidence in their ability to give direction. How is that working for you? How is it working in your organization? Here are a few ways to know if you are directionally challenged.

You are directionally challenged when you fail to chart the course

Before a pilot of an airplane takes flight, he will file a flight plan prior to departure. It will include the plane’s planned flight path. They will also file a manifest of the names of the passengers on board.

In your leadership, you have to have a plan and know the people taking the journey with you. If you have no clear flight plan or have no sense of direction or path of where you are going, everyone will be lost. The responsibility for the plane rests with the pilot. The responsibility for the organization rests with the leader. With no plan, you have no purpose. Your people won’t hang around long under these conditions. They want and need purpose and direction and will go somewhere else to get it.

You are directionally challenged when you fail to communicate

The people in your organization will be more inclined to take the journey with you when the communication is clear and consistent. Just as you want good directions on your GPS or when driving the interstate, sign markers are important.

When you fail to communicate with your people it’s as if the organizational GPS has been turned off. When this happens, people are left to wonder and speculate and morale will eventually tank. Engagement by your people is proportional to your effectiveness in communicating with them. As a leader, you have no business complaining about the lack of engagement from your people if you are lacking in your communication. It’s just that simple. Click To Tweet

You are directionally challenged when you fail to lead yourself

The hardest person you will ever lead is yourself. On a recent Craig Groeschel podcast, he asked the question that every leader ought to ask themselves daily, “What are you doing today that will strengthen your leadership tomorrow?”. And this is a core question we must answer.

Your ability as a leader to give direction is predicated on your own leadership development and the sense of direction and purpose you possess.

Final Thoughts

If you are directionally challenged as a leader it’s not too late to right the ship. Chart the course, communicate effectively, and lead yourself well. It will put you on the right path.

Click here to purchase and download my new book

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Getting Unstuck: Four Principles to Change Your Leadership – Part 3: Be Practical

Posted July 26, 2021July 27, 2021
by admin

Don’t try to solve serious matters in the middle of the night. – Philip K. Dick

I don’t know about you, but I’ve never really been a New Year’s Resolution type person. I seldom ever make them. And no, it’s not because I don’t think that resolution or goals are not important, but because it seems that it’s the only time of the year when we ever talk about them. Why?

I will, however, tip my hat to some of the funnier resolutions I came across for your reading entertainment. Consider these:

> To become as fat as I was the very first time that I ever thought I was fat.

> To make as many people believe I’m normal before blindsiding them with my actual personality

> I’ve decided to leave my past behind me, so if I owe you money…I’m sorry..but I’ve moved on.

> My pants are starting to fit a little tight so I think it’s time I got serious about my New Year’s resolution to buy bigger pants.

Our resolutions, notwithstanding our most sincere intents, may not always be practical. But we forge ahead with them year after year in hopes something might stick.

But what do you do when you feel stuck? In this series on being stuck, we’ve taken a look at what to do when you are stuck. And here’s what we have established so far – as a leader there will be times when you are stuck. Perhaps you’ve reached a plateau, your creativity is not as sharp as it had been. You feel like you are in a slump. You feel like you are in a fog trying to find your way out.

So far we have talked about being present in the moment – not rushing the process when everything inside of us is screaming to get out of the rut as quickly as we can. We’ve been reminded that sometimes it’s OK to just be present in the moment and reflect and learn in this season the lessons we need to learn. We also talked about being patient. As much as we don’t like being stuck we have to remember that it won’t last forever.

There is a path forward and you will find it. So what’s next in the process? Let’s take a look at the next principle to change our leadership when we are stuck.

Be practical – You will hit your stride again so don’t rush it

If today you find yourself in a place where you feel stuck, let me once again tell you- be patient. This will not last forever. That being said, you also need to be practical with where you are in the moment and as you begin to find your path forward. Cut yourself some slack. Your momentum will come back and the fog will lift. But it may be a gradual emergence.

What your leadership and perspective look like on the other side of being stuck will likely look different from when you began – and rightfully so. Ruts and being stuck have a way of changing us.

In your season of being stuck, you need to learn to be practical. You need to understand your new limitations and expectations and operate within them. The lessons you learn while being stuck can help you be stronger on the other side. Embrace where you are and what you can do while stuck. Practicality is in order here.

Final Thoughts

No one likes being stuck. But it doesn’t have to be wasted time or something that’s chalked up as a bad experience. Be present. Be patient. Be practical. You will be a better leader for it.

My new book releases on August 30th and is now available for pre-order. Click here to order my new book.

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Why Encouragement Matters in Leadership

Posted March 1, 2020
by admin

If you are a leader, you should never forget that everyone needs encouragement. – John Maxwell

As a young boy, he worked in a factory but had an intense desire to be a singer. When he turned ten years old, he took his first voice lesson which procured a less than encouraging remark from his teacher, “You can’t sing. You haven’t any voice at all. Your voice sounds like a wind in the shutters.”

His mother, however, believed that he could learn to sing. She was very poor, but she hugged and said, “My boy, I’m going to make every sacrifice to pay for your voice lessons.”

Her encouragement and sacrifice for her son proved to be invaluable. He became known as one of the world’s greatest singers. His name is Enrico Caruso.

I’m always inspired by stories like this. To think that the turning point for a world-renowned singer was the encouragement from one person who believed in him when others passed him over.

Think about your own story. Who was it that inspired and challenged you to be your best and pushed you to go further than you thought possible?

I’m thankful for teachers who helped me reclaim the confidence I need to succeed in school due to my struggle with dyslexia. Without their understanding and their encouragement to me to push through and overcome my learning challenges, I wouldn’t be where I am today.

Encouragement is the secret sauce for all successful leaders. And all leaders who want to add value to those around them but are not quite sure where to start - well, this is it. Click To Tweet There are many benefits to encouraging those around you, but here are three that stand out.

Encouragement pays immediate dividends

In any given moment, a word of encouragement is the boost a friend or colleague needs. Without your knowledge, encouragement can be a game-changer for someone who may have felt like giving up and throwing in the towel.

Never underestimate the power of encouragement at the moment in which it was given. It may not seem like all that much to you at the time, but it could make all the difference in the world to the one who just received it.

Encouragement creates margins

Have you ever had those times when you just felt stuck? You were in that funk and it was like your head was in a cloud. I know I have. Many times. When I look back, I can see where it was a word of encouragement snapped me out of it. It caused me to look at my circumstances from a different perspective and try another way.

Encouragement is not meant to be an isolated emotional boost of support. Encouragement stirs you to look at your circumstances differently and find new paths to better solutions. Click To TweetYour word of encouragement may be all it takes for someone else to find new margins they need.

Encouragement creates a boomerang effect

There’s an old saying, “What goes around, come around,” and that is especially true with encouragement. Every leader worth his or her salt is an encouragement to those around them. It’s in a leader’s DNA.

While it’s never about what you get in return, every word of encouragement you give as a leader has a boomerang effect and comes back around in positive ways in your own life. Be generous with encouragement. People around you need it now more than ever. Click To Tweet

Final Thoughts

By our words and actions, we are either building or destroying. As a leader, let me admonish you to see the best in others, believe the best in others, and speak words of encouragement to those around you. When you do, everyone benefits.

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It’s All About Your Perspective

Posted September 1, 2019
by admin

One person’s craziness is another person’s reality. – Tim Burton

After a particularly long and bumpy flight, the crew was tired. This was even made more apparent by the rough landing. This particular airline had a policy that the pilot must stand by the door as people exit to thank them for flying with the airline. The pilot was dreading this because of the landing but he stood faithfully by. Surprisingly enough, the people filed off and none said a word. Then came the last passenger, an elderly lady walking with a cane. As she got up to the captain, she said, “Can I ask a question?” “Sure,” answered the captain. “Did we land or were we shot down?”

I’ve been on a few flights when I felt the same way. And in leadership, there have been many times when I felt like maybe I had been shot down.

Our perspective in leadership is shaped by many factors. Often our perspective is driven by our own experiences or biases. It can be driven by the opinions of others. But one thing is certain, we all have perspectives that influence us.

As a leader, the accuracy of your perspective is important. You want to be accurately informed and make decisions that reflect sound judgment. But sometimes our perspective turns out to be wrong. Here’s how.

Your perspective can be wrong when our attitude is wrong

Nothing alters our perspective like our attitude, especially if it’s a bad one. Your perspective is what you see and your attitude determines how you see or interpret it. If your attitude is one that is predisposed to being negative then that’s the lens through which you see things.

This can have unintended consequences for you as a leader. If your attitude bends toward being a bad one or is predominantly skeptical, then do the people around you truly get a fair shake from you? If your attitude bends toward being a bad one or is predominantly skeptical, then do the people around you truly get a fair shake from you? Click To Tweet

Having a good attitude is important to you as a leader. But it takes discipline to work on it and keep it positive. You may have a dozen reasons a day to justify a bad attitude. I get it. But the effects of your attitude determine your perspective. So don’t let a bad attitude reflect in a bad way on your leadership.

Leadership Takeaway: Your people are looking to you for leadership and the right perspective to guide them. Watch your attitude.

Your perspective can be wrong when your assumptions are wrong

How many times have you made a wrong assumption about a person? How many times have you made a wrong assumption about a goal or project within your organization? I know I have. And thank goodness I was wrong!

The mark of sure and steady leadership is found in not rushing to judgment and in not making wrong assumptions. It’s giving other people the same benefit of the doubt you’d want to be given yourself. Click To Tweet

The thin line between your perspective and instincts can be a hard one to differentiate at times. On both counts, you want to get it right. One is innate and learned over time (instincts), while the other is fluid and should never be rushed.

Leadership Takeaway: Your people are looking to you for leadership and for someone to believe in them – not someone to write them off because of a wrong assumption you’ve made about them.

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Leadership Podcast Excerpt

Posted January 18, 2019January 18, 2019
by admin

From time to time, I plan to bring you excerpts from various leadership podcasts that I listen to on a regular basis as a part of my own personal growth and development plan. Your growth and development as a leader doesn’t happen by accident. Neither does mine. It must be intentional. In my desire to add value to you, I plan to bring you these short excerpts from time to time to give your leadership a boost.

This week I am bringing you an excerpt from The John Maxwell Leadership Podcast. These notes come from the episode entitled: Growth and Gratitude Part 1: (Everything in the quotation box is from John Maxwell)

How To Make Your Contribution Larger Than Your Reward

Adopt a no entitlement attitude

You believe that you have to make some kind of a valuable contribution to others before you deserve any reward.

You have only one thing to focus on every morning – how can I add value to other people today?

Your job is not to worry about what you’re going to reap, your job is worry about what you’re going to sow.

Be the first to help.

Zig Ziglar said, “You can get everything in life that you want if you will just help other people get what they want”.

Being the first to help is very special. My success is determined by the seeds I sow, not the harvest I reap.

How do you plan to make your contribution larger than your reward?

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Five Traits of Extra Mile Leaders

Posted January 6, 2019
by admin

There are no shortcuts on the extra mile – Zig Ziglar

Bob Kuechenberg, the former Miami Dolphins great, once explained what motivated him to go to college. “My father and uncle were human cannonballs in carnivals. My father told me, “go to college or be a cannonball.” Then one day my uncle came out of the cannon, missed the net and hit the Ferris wheel, I decided to go to college.”

The way you tap into your motivation as a leader may not be as drastic for you as it was for Bob Kuechenberg, but tapping into it is necessary nonetheless. Going the extra mile as a leader is what will set you apart from the rest of the pack and will take you farther than you could have without it.

So what traits do “extra mile” leaders possess? Here is a sampling of a few that I believe are essential. It’s not an exhaustive list but is a good place to start.

Extra mile leaders are proactive

Extra mile leaders take the initiative in getting things done. They prefer to tackle issues head-on rather than assume a reactionary posture. Extra mile leaders are out front on understanding the culture of their organization and the needs of the people they serve. Click To Tweet They don’t wait to be told or asked, they see what needs to be done and they do it.

Extra mile leaders possess a contagious enthusiasm

What sets extra mile leaders apart from mediocre leaders-every time, is a passion and enthusiasm for what they do. Their attitudes are positive and their temperament is even-handed. An extra mile leader in your organization with enthusiasm and passion will be the benchmark for the rest of your team. Click To Tweet Without extra mile leaders your work will be hard, but with them, your team can see extraordinary results. Extra mile leaders bring out the best in those they serve.

Extra mile leaders put the team first

Extra mile leaders by and large are selfless in that their motivation and their proactive ways are done with the intent of benefitting the team. Yes, there can be exceptions when what motivates an individual is selfish in nature. But by and large, extra mile leaders have a broad understanding of the mission and vision of the organization and their extra mile sacrifices are for the benefit of the group. Of course, it pays dividends in the long run as all hard work and effort do, but it’s not the prime motivation. Extra mile leaders put their colleagues first.

Extra mile leaders have an attitude of excellence

Extra mile leaders are not satisfied with the status quo nor do they settle for what is merely acceptable. Extra mile leaders have a compelling desire to be the best personally and professionally. At times it can be misinterpreted by those without the extra mile mentality as self-serving, grand-standing, or posturing, etc. but at their core, the extra mile leader cares deeply and truly wants to advance the team in the right direction.

Extra mile leaders have found their purpose

Extra mile leaders have not only tapped into their passion but have taken it a step further in discovering their purpose. Extra mile leaders intuitively understand that it’s not about what they “do” that defines them or motivates them to go the extra mile. Extra mile leaders are those who have embraced the blessing and gift of their Creator and have committed themselves to live their life in such a way that honors it. Click To Tweet

Danish philosopher Soren Kierkegaard said, “There is nothing with which every man is so afraid as getting to know how enormously much he is capable of doing and becoming.”

What you are capable of becoming as an extra mile leader is realized when you worry less about what you do and care more for the life you have to live and the ways in which you can serve others. When you do, the results will speak for itself.

Are you an extra mile leader?

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Why Your Employees Stand On The Sidelines

Posted November 11, 2018
by admin

I like work; it fascinates me. I can sit and look at it for hours. – Jerome K. Jerome

According to Gallup’s 2017 State of the American Workplace, only 33% of full-time employees in the U.S. are engaged at work. The majority of employees are indifferent.

Chances are you know one of these persons. They show up at work. They do their job. Then they go home. They don’t go above and beyond what’s required of them to improve the company or advance its goals.

We’ve known for some time that engagement in the workplace is a challenge. It’s been written about extensively.

Sideline employees make up what Gallup identifies as the “actively disengaged” – those who do not enjoy going to work and are sucking the morale out of your organization. They’re unhappy and everyone knows it.

Why employees opt for the sidelines will vary from organization to organization. Understanding why is crucial. While this is not an attempt to identify all of those reasons, perhaps these observations will help.

Indifferent leaders produce indifferent employees

Leaders set the tone for the organization. If the leadership is indifferent towards its team members – not engaged with them, listening to them, empowering and equipping them, then it’s going to be a stretch to think the team members will be enthusiastic about coming off the sidelines. If you want your employees to have skin in the game they first need to see your investment.

The mission isn’t clear

If your team members can’t identify the mission of the organization then don’t expect them to commit to uncertainty. Click To Tweet. Team members will come off the sidelines when they know the mission when the vision is clear, and when they know what impact their contribution will make. Don’t expect your team members to stick their necks out for what you as a leader haven’t made clear.

The risk isn’t worth the reward

Leaders move employees off the sidelines by not only sharing the mission and vision but painting a picture of what victory looks like. Engaged employees had rather risk defeat by being in the game and contributing than watching others celebrate a victory they had nothing to do with. Click To Tweet It could be that some on the sidelines are there because there’s no incentive to be in the game.

Poor company culture

According to YouEarnedlt, 49% of employees say culture influences their employee experience more than the physical environment or the technology to do their job. Company culture is a two-edged sword that cuts both ways for sideline employees. They are on the sidelines because of their perception of a poor company culture but are too indifferent to step up to change it. The culture of your organization sets the tone for the productivity of your people. As a leader, you must accept responsibility for this. Click To Tweet

Moving your people from the sidelines to an all in commitment requires strong leadership. The foundational principles are relationships, communication, engagement, and culture. It’s time to get your players in the game!

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Leadership In A Word: Rest

Posted August 11, 2018October 4, 2018
by dougdickerson

Rest when you’re weary. Refresh and renew yourself, your body, your mind, your spirit. Then get back to work. – Ralph Marston

As summer slowly draws to a close, I came across a rather interesting article about the workplace and how employees are using their vacation time. A Glassdoor survey last year reported that millions of Americans are giving back their vacations to their employers. At first glance, I thought perhaps my eyes were playing tricks on me. Say it ain’t so! But here’s the explanation:

“Why don’t they take what’s due? “Fear,” says Scott Dobroski, career trends analyst at Glassdoor. “That’s the underscoring theme.” They fear getting behind on their work (34%), believe no one else at their company can do the work while they’re out (30%), they are completely dedicated to their company (22%), and they feel they can never be disconnected (21%). As workers shoulder a heavier work-load post-recession, he says others are afraid of not meeting goals.”

That millions of Americans are giving back vacation time because they fear getting behind on their work, that no one else in the company can do their work while they are out, complete dedication to their company, and that they can never be disconnected to their work, speaks to the importance of my series theme word this week*.

While the reasons listed for not taking vacations might sound noble on the surface, it does speak to other underlying leadership concerns such as the need for cross-training, having a healthy work-life balance, and what is a healthy workload with recognizable boundaries that management has in place.

A hard truth that is lost on many is that we are not indispensable. We can be replaced. And while the above-listed reasons for not taking vacation sound valid, one can do more harm than good – to themselves and their company- by not taking time to rest.

I will not presume to say what that should look like. But here are a few simple reminders as to why rest is important.

It’s a time to recharge

This is the value-added consequence of taking the time to rest. Your body, soul, and mind, can only run for so long and still be useful to you. Rest affords you the opportunity to recharge mentally, emotionally, relationally, and spiritually.

Recharging your leadership through the lost art of rest will do you a world of good. Click To TweetWhen you are recharged you give yourself a fresh perspective on the issues at hand and it will give you the energy needed going forward. Rested and recharged you will position yourself for a great second half of the year.

It’s a time to reflect

During downtime and rest is the perfect time to reflect. It’s a time to look back at the first half of the year to see where you’ve come- to put it all in perspective. It’s a time to look ahead, not in the heat of the moment when there is no time to properly absorb what is taking place – but to do so in a state of mind that gives you the context you need.

In your time of rest and mid-year reflecting it’s also important to be present in the moment. “We always project into the future or reflect in the past,” says Marina Abramovic, “but we are so little in the present.” How much do we miss as leaders – family, children, memories we can never have again – simply because we were too busy and missed living in the moment?

It’s a time to reconnect

The benefits of rest can be substantial. Times of rest is important for us in ways already mentioned. But the good it can do for you as a leader will make you a better one.

A rested leader is a more effective leader. Your thinking clearer, your instincts are sharper, and your temperament is more balanced. Click To TweetYet, none of these benefits would be possible without making the conscientious decision to rest. Rid yourself of the stigma that to rest is wrong, and embrace this important area of your leadership.

Rest is the secret ingredient to your balanced life and leadership. Discover this secret and you will be better for it.

*(Leadership In A Word is my writing theme for the year. See my website at Dougdickerson.wordpress.com to catch up on all my entries to date).

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Leadership In a Word: Encouragement

Posted April 15, 2018
by dougdickerson

Our chief want is someone who will inspire us to be what we know we could be. – Ralph Waldo Emerson

A word about encouragement

In a Gallup article entitled “Seven Things Great Employers Do (That Others Don’t)”, the author’s introduction speaks to the rise in the number of employees who are actively disengaged in their work, and identifies companies who are bucking the trend.

One of the ways in which companies are doing it is by ensuring that the basic encouragement requirements are being met before expecting an inspiring mission to matter. They state:

When employees know what is expected of them, have what they need to do their jobs, are good fits for their roles, and feel their managers have their backs, they will commit to almost anything the company is trying to accomplish. Conversely, if these basic needs are not met, even the most exalted mission may not engage them. People simply don’t connect with proclamations of mission or values — no matter how inspiring these might sound in the head office.

Is it possible in our leadership circles that we have exalted our mission and vision statements to such a high level that those tasked with fulfilling it can’t do so because the basic need of encouragement has not been met?

We’ve all come to know in some small way what encouragement looks like. It’s a kind word, a slap on the back, being recognized and thanked for a job well done. These things are import and they matter. But why? Here are a few reasons.

Encouragement matters because your people matter.

As the authors of the article stated, “People simply don’t connect with proclamations of mission statements or values.” Simply put – people connect people. And if you want your people to be connected to your mission or vision you must first connect with the ones who will bring it to life.

John Maxwell was right when he said, “Leaders touch a heart before they ask for a hand”. If you fail to do this, what else really matters?

Encouragement matters because it focuses on the relationship

There is a difference between praise and encouragement. “Encouragement can be given at any time, to anyone, in any situation. It is an observation, an acknowledgment, a statement that focuses on effort, etc.,” says educational consultant Vicki Hoefle. It’s a leadership principle that acknowledges the hard work of your people and speaks to the challenges that your team faces, and is an acknowledgment that you see and recognize, and appreciate it.

When you focus on encouragement you are building the most important thing in the life of your organization – relationship.

Encouragement matters because results matter

When your people know that you have their backs, and they’ve been empowered and equipped to do their jobs, they will come through for you. As a leader, you must back up your words of encouragement with action.

Make no mistake, your people need to hear your words of encouragement. They appreciate it more than you realize. But the mission and vision mean little to them or you if it doesn’t come to life. And at the end of the day, the results of your business or organization matters.

Encouragement quotes

“Don’t let the muggles get you down”. – J.K. Rowling

“Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.” – Multiple attributions

“Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” – I Thessalonians 5:11

“When you encourage others, you in the process are encouraged because you’re making a commitment and difference in that person’s life. Encouragement really does make a difference.” – Zig Ziglar

“Hardships often prepare ordinary people for an extraordinary destiny.” – C.S. Lewis

A final word

In a world filled with much negativity, strive to be a leader that is an encourager. See the best. Believe the best. Give your best. Be a model of what true encouragement is all about. Raise the bar and raise the people around you.

*Note: Leadership In A Word is my writing theme for 2018. Each week the focus will be on a word that impacts you as a leader. My style is new but my message and commitment to delivering fresh leadership insight to you are the same. It’s my sincere desire to help you grow as a leader and to partner with you in reaching your full potential.

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