Top Blogs of 2017 #12 – GREAT LEADERS ARE GREAT ENCOURAGERS

When it comes to believing in themselves, most people are agnostic.

When it comes to believing in themselves, most people are agnostic. Be an encourager. Click To Tweet

Think of your ministry staff and volunteers. The external obstacles they face are difficult to overcome but their self-imposed limitations are even more difficult. The best ministry leaders become prophetic voices of encouragement in the lives of their people.

The best ministry leaders become prophetic voices of encouragement in the lives of their people. Click To Tweet

Great leaders are great encouragers. The simplicity of this idea makes it easy to ignore and under appreciate (why do we complicate leadership?!?).

Great leaders are great encouragers. The simplicity of this idea makes it easy to ignore and under appreciate - why do we complicate leadership?!? Click To Tweet

Encouragement begins when you recognize the dignity, giftedness and unlimited potential of your people. It continues when you communicate that vision so convincingly that they see it in themselves and act on it with boldness and courage.

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe said, “Treat a man as if he already was what he potentially could be, and you make him what he should be.”

Jesus was a Master encourager.

When most people looked at Mary Magdalen, they only saw her as a prostitute. They related to her in that way and continually re-enforced that script in her life. It was a label and a lid that she lived under for many years. Jesus came along and saw beyond her situation and her sin. He saw her dignity, giftedness and potential. He saw a saint, He related to her in that way and that is what she became.

When most people looked at Peter, they saw a hot-headed fisherman. They related to him in that way and that is what he lived for years. Jesus came along and saw beyond his current life. He saw his dignity, giftedness and potential. He saw the first Pope, He related to him in that way and that is what he became!

When most people looked at Paul, they saw a persecutor and murderer of the first century Church. That is what he lived for years. Jesus came along and saw beyond that label. He saw Paul’s inherent dignity, his incredible giftedness and significant potential. He saw a missionary, an apostle and a great theologian, he spoke to him in that way on the road to Damascus and that is what he became!

Great leaders are great encouragers.

The less there is of something in the world, the more valuable it becomes. Encouraging words are valuable because many of us live without them. Think of it, if you want to make someone blush, pay them a compliment. If you want to make them squirm, look them right in the eye and provide an example or two of their greatness then watch them wallow in your words.

The less there is of something in the world, the more valuable it becomes. Encouraging words are valuable because many of us live without them. Click To Tweet

Many live without words of encouragement and affirmation. That is a debilitating form of poverty. When these malnourished souls received affirmation, they can barely handle it.

It is a leader’s privilege to recognize greatness in others and celebrate when it is acted on.

Here are three simple ways you can do this:

1. Catch people doing the right thing. When you see one of your staff living out the values of the organization – point it out, affirm their behaviour, thank them for it and celebrate it in a simple but appropriate way. Appreciation doesn’t have to be elaborate only sincere.
2. Write thank you notes. Short little handwritten notes go a long way in re-writing negative scripts in people’s lives. So many of us carry negative messages about ourselves. So many have an internal filing system that tracks failures and mistakes in great detail. Handwritten notes of appreciation and encouragement provide new evidence – encouraging and inspiring evidence – to make them feel good about themselves again. And people that feel good about themselves produce good results.
3. Delegate to their strengths. When people have the opportunity to do meaningful work that aligns to their passions and gifts, they are more engaged and feel better about what they have accomplished. Put people in their strengths and let them go. Engaged employees are the easiest to manage and produce the best results.

The content of this blog may seem soft. You may think that high achievers don’t need words of encouragement but don’t let success fool you.

I recall a series of conversations I had with a very successful business leader. He had just sold his company for tens of millions of dollars. As successful as he was, self-doubt gripped his heart and self-imposed negative scripts kept him in bondage to anxiety.

He was convinced that eventually he would be discovered as a poser, not worthy of the financial success he had attained nor the admiration he had gained. Fortunately, he became surrounded by a fellowship of men that spoke truth into his heart. His self-doubt melted away over a prolonged period of genuine friendship and consistent words of encouragement.

It is a great privilege to be a voice of encouragement for others. In fact, I can think of no higher calling than to affirm the dignity, giftedness and potential of other people. I can think of no greater privilege than to see others act on the greatness God placed in them.

I can think of no higher calling than to affirm the dignity, giftedness and potential of other people. Click To Tweet