Encouragement and Strength

Many people see an encourager as someone who is weak. You see this especially in the corporate world when leadership is often looked at as a top-down, "do as I say not as I do" chain of command. However, real leadership understands that without front line people no job or goals will be accomplished.

A leader must be an encourager. A leader shows strength as he encourages his or her team. Being an encourager doesn't mean that you're a pushover, it means just the opposite. Using the power of encouragement in leadership means that goals will be set, pursued, and accomplished. The leader must encourage team members to stay on task. The leader must assure the team members that any obstacle can be overcome. The days of barking out orders and doing nothing as a leader are over. People want to see authentic leaders get their hands dirty in the trenches with them.

Some of the most inspirational documentaries I have ever watched were about the training of the elite Special Forces that serve our country. One particular documentary showed a soldier in training struggling with claustrophobia. The soldier was required to lay on his back and push himself through a tunnel with his feet while at the same time being covered with muddy water. The soldier froze with fear. To help this soldier overcome the obstacle, the leader got down alongside the soldier and together they pushed through the tunnel to emerge victorious on the other side. In the same way, by harnessing the power of encouragement you as a leader bring strength to the organization.

Here are some things to keep in mind concerning encouragement and strength:

• Encouragement Is A Sign of Strength - When the leader encourages, he shows true strength.
• Encouragement Is A Sign of Courage - When the leader harnesses encouragement he demonstrates courage because he comes alongside his team and shows them there is a light at the end of the tunnel.
• Encouragement Is A Sign of Vision - When a leader encourages, he demonstrates vision. Encouraging his team shows that he believes the goal in front of the team is going to be accomplished.
• Encouragement Is A Sign of Integrity - When the leader encourages his team, he demonstrates a willingness to have vision and to implement that vision. Implementing vision is a sign of integrity.

I want to encourage you to harness the power of encouragement. If you are a leader, speak words of life to your team. Build your team with words of encouragement and with demonstrations of appreciation. When you do, you will lead with an understanding that your goals will become reality.

Be Encouraged,
Rick