Admire to Inspire
You ignite a fire when you admire.
Tabitha pulled the novella Carrie from the trash and pushed her husband to finish it. Stephen King resisted. His wife persisted. Carrie succeeded wildly and changed their lives.
We learn to believe in ourselves when someone else believes in us.
The Power of Admiration:
Michael Phelps struggled to sit still and fit in. But Bob Bowman looked past the struggle and saw a swimmer. “You were born to swim,” he said. “I’ve never seen anything like you.”
Phelps didn’t just become a swimmer. He became the most decorated Olympian in history.
Admiration is foresight. It’s seeing who someone could become.
Leadership reflection:
Who on your team has untapped potential? Don’t say, “You could do more.” Say, “I admire…” Don’t give them a job. Help them believe and they’ll find new ways to contribute.
Admiration amplifiers:
Two factors amplify admiration, respect and belief.
Fake praise offends. Genuine respect lifts. Your admiration inspires others when you are admired.
How to Admire:
List the people you regularly interact with. Complete this sentence for each: “I admire…”
Challenge: Before one-on-ones write down three things you respect about the person you’re meeting.
Admiration sees a future that could be—but isn’t yet.
How might showing admiration go wrong?
How can leaders see potential in others without making them feel they are falling short?
Explore the idea of admiration from another direction: Two Questions that Reveal Aspirations
“I admire” is a strong phrase. When you complete the sentence with a specific trait or behavior, it becomes very powerful.
Dan, I admire your ability to write an interesting, creative, and insightful post on leadership five times every week.
It is strong, Paul. Perhaps we’re uncomfortable using “admire” because it’s powerful. Maybe we’re waiting for perfection. Finding something to admire may shift our own attitude.
Your good word strengthens me. Thank you
What are we to do with the challenge? Is the point to tell the person in the one-on-one the things you respect about them? Or is this more of an internal challenge to channel admiration prior to connecting with said person? Thank you!
Thanks for asking. I should have been clearer. Definitely speak it. Of course, just thinking it impacts our attitude.
I have seen this principle play out so many times in my life and the life of others. We don’t tend to get better when judgement is heaped upon us – we tend to grow when our seed is water and cultivated. Thank you for the reminder.
Great way to say it, Travis. Seems like there’s more energy in a positive approach. 🙂