Discouraged people have hearts like water and knees like butter.
The ability to rise is about you, not the challenge.
7 causes of discouragement:
- Hard work with no or slow progress.
- Disappointed expectation. A lost promotion, for example.
- Misguided leaders who notice bad like it’s an Olympic sport.
- Big wins followed by nitpicking. Enjoy imperfect success for a day or two.
- Living with the consequences of bad decisions.
- Being humbled, especially when you hoped to be honored.
- Pulling the rope alone. Everyone needs a with.
You’re confused if you believe tearing down improves performance .
Strengthen the discouraged. Don’t shoot the wounded.
7 simple factors in high performance:
- Joy, not disappointment.
- Strength, not weakness.
- Values, not external pressure.
- Confidence, not insecurity.
- Support, not criticism.
- Boldness, not fear.
- Coaching, not directing.
5 powerful strategies that strengthen teams:
Strong people go further than weak.
#1. Know that people with weaknesses achieve great things – because of strengths, not because of weakness. (When strengths don’t match job requirements reassign, retrain, or remove.)
Don’t let people’s weaknesses obscure their strengths.
#2. Manage your own energy. You eventually loose the ability to encourage others when your knees constantly feel like butter.
Discouraged leaders become faultfinders.
#3. Focus on what might be, more than what used to be. Remember disappointment enough to learn. Otherwise, have a short memory when it comes to failure.
#4. Understand a few small wins today is better than a big win next week. How might you design and notice progress in daily work?
#5. Realize the ability to rise is more about people than challenges. Talk about people more than challenges.
Bonus:
I reconnected with a leader who doesn’t care for shallow encouragement. But I sent a text after our conversation. “I enjoyed seeing you this morning.” He was encouraged.
Kindness strengthens.
What makes people feel weak?
How might leaders make people feel strong?
Added reading:
9 Super Effective Ways to Motivate Your Team (Inc)
What Not to Do When You’re Trying to Motivate Your Team (HBR)
