Encouragement is very powerful.
It can give you the confidence you need to open a business.
It can give you the support to make a needed change.
It can give you the hope that a difficult situation will improve.
In fact, the definition of encouragement is “the action of giving someone support, confidence or hope.”
Does someone come to mind who has been that person for you? Is there someone you can think of who needs encouragement from you?
I had a very special teacher in high school who holds a very special place in my heart. I admired her faith, her professionalism, and her family values. She lived and modeled a life which inspired me. She was a great source of encouragement as she took time to personally mentor me. She encouraged me by her example, her words and how she made me feel I was important. I realize now how special she made me feel and how that was important in my confidence building to do what was right. I will be forever thankful to her for the time we spent together. Her encouraging words and her example of blending her faith into her everyday life gave me the support and confidence that I, too, could successfully blend my professional, family and personal dreams. She was a strong encourager.
Did someone come to mind who was a source of encouragement in your life, either in your childhood or during a difficult time? If it is possible, make time to write them a note as a source of encouragement to them. Years after I graduated from high school and had a family and business of my own, I bought my teacher a book I thought she would like and wrote a note in it how thankful I was for her. She has since passed away but my memories of her are still a source of joy.
If you work with a group of people, every one of them will need encouragement. They may not show it, but they do.
Encouragement to do something
Encouragement to get through a hard season
Encouragement to try something new
Encouragement to change something about what they are doing.
Encouragement to deal with a person who has different opinions or views.
Everyone is in the right place to give encouragement to others. We just need to have it on our radar and do it.
In the workplace, there are ample opportunities to demonstrate God at work through acts of encouragement. It is important that encouragement be an integral part of your culture at work. Encouragement is contagious and builds others up, while its opposite is harmful and tears others down. Encouragement is best given when it is both personal to the person and to the situation.
Consider the following nine ways you can lavish encouragement at work:
Encourage with words of affirmation. Is someone working on a difficult project? Let them know you have confidence in them that they will do a great job. Ask them if there is any assistance they need. In that way, you affirm them but also help to set them up for success.
Encourage with public acknowledgement. This is always really fun. Share people’s successes and joys with others. Share your group successes as well. Perhaps you have customer surveys: share the ratings. Perhaps someone has done something unique: acknowledge the person and what they have done in a staff meeting. Make a point that you acknowledge everyone for their work, dedication, initiative and/or team spirit.
Encourage with personalized gifts: Gifts do not always need to be expensive. They can be as simple as picking up someone’s favorite coffee because they are not having a great day. It could be giving them a relevant book based on a conversation you had.
Encourage with specific thank you’s. Sometimes, people have gone above and beyond their work performance and have done it with a terrific attitude and spirit. This is where it is fun to be very specific. It could be treating them to a massage at their favorite spa at the completion of a project. It could be a bonus after exceptional dedication that will help pay for a trip they want to take. The key is that you know what is important to them and show that in the gift.
Encourage with your time: Everyone knows that time is valuable and workplaces are busy. However, taking a few moments to check in with how someone is doing with a project can be exactly what is needed to give encouragement to continue on. This is also the time when you may determine a meeting is needed to address either an issue with the project and/or any stress associated with it. And, an honest culture of “you can always contact me” is crucial for everyone you work with. They may not contact you but knowing they can, is a great source of on-going encouragement.
Encourage with hand-written notes. A past staff member loved hand-written notes. She had mentioned to me that we seem to have lost this art. I would tend to agree. Texts and emails are wonderful ways to encourage others. Perhaps, this is what our next generation will benefit from. However, an appropriate card, on their desk, with a note of encouragement is always lovely. Do try it!
Encouragement with calmness. Sometimes things just come up in business that can cause unsettledness. It could be a difficult customer. It could be a new software system. It could be all the changes seen with COVID-19 that has affected business and personal lives. Calmness in the workplace can be a great source of encouragement as it does not allow its opposite (discouragement) to take hold.
Encouragement with “check-ins”. Difficulties, whether at work or in personal lives, are not usually a one conversation occurrence. Although someone may not indicate they are still struggling, assume that there is still some difficulty. Check in with the person and ask them specifically how they are doing. They may be in a bit of a slump and your concern for them will be the encouragement they need to keep going.
Encouragement with prayer: In your prayers for your business, ask God to help you discern if someone needs a touch of His encouragement. In this way, you can demonstrate God at Work. Ask God to also give you the ability to be lavish with your encouragement with your everyday business activities as well as with the specific needs of your staff and colleagues.
Encouragement with ________________. Often at times, we read posts which discuss “10 ways to Do Something.” Today, I have listed 9 and left the 10th one for you. What is another way that you can show encouragement to someone this week? God made us all uniquely different, with different gifts and opportunities. He also made us very creative. Think of at least one way to encourage someone this week which will be personal to them.
“Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” 1 Thessalonians 5:11
I would like to encourage each of you this week to practice encouragement in your workplace as this will demonstrate God at work, be a blessing to others and bless you too!
Have a fabulous week!