Tuesday at 2:00pm with Russ

It's Tuesday at 2:00pm! (PST Time: I live and work from Southern California)

Greetings to you!

Each week I send out a short leadership blog that's called "Tuesday at 2:00pm". The purpose of this is simply to provide a brief thought on leadership that you can read and think about in just a few minutes. I send it out every week at 2:00pm (PST) and encourage you to make an appointment with yourself to pause and think about the thing I'm writing about.

Russ...

LEADERSHIP QUOTE:

"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

What does this stir up? Either write me HERE or comment at the end of the blog post HERE.

A LITTLE BIT DEEPER:

I read the quote above from Zig Ziglar, and I've been thinking about the value of encouragement in our lives, and thought I'd spend some time this month camping on this theme.

This quote is not a surprise, but just a profound reminder to us of the value of encouragement. It does make a difference on all sides... when it's delivered, when it's received and when it's observed.

Everyone benefits and it can be either a simple expression or a grand gesture. It makes a difference.

I remember a moment in my own personal leadership development when I was in a leadership role in my university, my senior year of college. I can't remember the situation, but I remember feeling unsure, I remember wondering if I could do the job I had been tasked with doing, and I was thinking about how much happier I had been in my previous role, which carried much less responsibility and pressure. I was overwhelmed.

It was then that a mentor of mine pulled me aside. He actually took me out to dinner, and spent the evening "encouraging me". He listened, he asked questions, he responded, but at some point in the evening, he just looked at me and said something like this:

"Russ, you can do this job. You have the abilities, the passion and the strength to do it. Don't be afraid of it, but embrace it. People will follow you."

At least that's what I heard, and it worked!

I felt empowered and affirmed, I felt that I COULD do the job, and I think just knowing that this Guy believed in me, I was ready to go.

37 years after that conversation, I can still remember it. I remember the restaurant, I remember the conversation, and I remember how it made me feel.

That's the power of ENCOURAGEMENT!

Think of a time when you were encouraged. Where were you? What was said? How did it make your feel?

DEEPER STILL:

Here are some practical things to do around ENCOURAGEMENT:

  • Everyday, find someone you can encourage with your words, with a personal note or call. Speak encouragement every chance you get.

  • I have a green file folder in my office, and it has a smiley face on it. I dump any encouraging notes I receive into that file and from time to time, I pull out of a couple of these notes from years past. I've had this file for a long time... maybe 35 years? I don't keep them all, but these notes don't just encourage me once, but over and over again as I remember them.

  • Go out of your way to share encouragement. Don't just do it when it's easy, but when you're prompted to, do it. That might mean taking a few more minutes, waiting in line, or crossing the street to get to someone. Encouragement isn't always easy but it's always worth it.

  • Trust your GUT: Sometimes I believe, God will prompt you to reach out to someone. Go with that GUT feeling... it's the Spirit leading you to someone who probably needs to be encouraged today.

  • It doesn't have to be elaborate. Simplicity is just as powerful!

1 Thessalonians 5:11 reminds us of this:

"So speak encouraging words to one another. Build up hope so you'll all be together in this, no one left out, no one left behind. I know you're already doing this; just keep on doing it." (MSG)

What's ONE THING you can do this week to encourage someone? Is there someone that is coming to mind?

 

Things I'm Reading, Listening To and Watching This Week:

Source: www.leadermundial.org