AFFIRM THEM
When I was in college, my dad wrote letters to me. He always used a section of each letter to affirm me. I’ll always remember how that section made me feel. Irrespective of the obstacles I faced, his affirmation always inspired me to reach the goals I had set.
I’m a witness that affirmation is powerful. One of my favorite quotes says, “Words satisfy the mind as much as fruit does the stomach; good talk is as gratifying as a good harvest” ( Proverbs 18:20, MSG). Whether you realize it or not, your words can change your employees’ lives. Perhaps your employees are one affirmation away from the potential you’ve seen in them.
The Apostle Paul was an expert at affirmation. That’s what he’s doing for his colleague in ministry in this verse: “I am writing to Titus, my true son in the faith that we share” (Titus 1:4, NLT). He affirms their relationship with each other and God, and his language is endearing and edifying. I’m not sure how Titus reacted when he read it, but my suspicion is that it made him want to finish the journey he had started.
Affirmation is not only powerful, it’s contagious. I started affirming my staff during our periodic meetings, and now they affirm each other and their employees. Our team culture is a lot more commending and collaborative since we started affirming each other.
If the results I’ve shared about affirmation sound intriguing, here are some practical ways to embed it into your business practices:
(1) MAKE IT PERSONAL. I love Paul’s use of the word “my” before the affirmation “true son.” He made it personal with a simple, two-letter word.
I encourage you to make the affirmations you give personal. More specifically, mention something that is unique to the person you’re affirming. This simple gesture will distinguish that person from the remainder of your employees and reinforce the value of individual efforts.
(2) MENTION IT PRIVATELY. Paul’s letter was addressed to Titus. It was intended to be encouraging when Titus read it privately.
You should also affirm people privately, when it’s just you and that person. A practical way to implement this is to celebrate your employees during any one-on-one interaction. I’m certain that every employee wants to hear he or she has done a great job when in the company of the boss exclusively.
(3) MAGNIFY IT PUBLICLY. Paul often had someone transcribe his letters while he articulated his thoughts aloud. If he followed his pater while writing this letter to Titus, then that means at least one other person saw how he felt about Titus. In essence, Paul was so proud of Titus that he made it public.
One of the easiest forms of affirmation is public celebration. Make a big deal about your employees in front of others. They may act bashful outwardly, but inside, they’ll be doing somersaults. Public praise not only confirms the feelings of the praise giver, but it also affirms the praised behavior. If you want your employees to demonstrate certain characteristics, just praise the people who do, publicly!
Affirmation is an incredible leadership practice if you implement it consistently. It’s not only inexpensive, but it normally increases your employees’ output. If you’re currently affirming your employees, keep up the good work. If you’re not, use the three practical steps provided in this post to get started. If you make it personal, mention it privately, and magnify it publicly, I believe you will excel at affirming your employees. As you embed affirmation into your daily leadership practices, I believe and declare that your employees will begin celebrating each other and ultimately reach their potential faster than you imagined!