The Best Kind of Encouragement
“I was talking to Nancy the other day, and she was bragging about how well you’ve been ministering to the Smith family through their crisis. Well done!”
Third-party encouragement can be the best kind of encouragement.
Typically, triangulation has a negative connotation. But when you can triangulate someone in encouragement, you can actually multiply the compliment.
As a leader, this requires you to listen for those times when people are bragging on others. This can happen by waiting on coffee in the break room, skimming social media updates, or asking your direct supervisors who’s doing exceptional work.
Then, it takes some personal initiative. Make a point to send those people notes, or stop by their offices and compliment them. Telling them you’ve heard others complimenting their work is a central part of the third-party encouragement only you can provide.
To the recipients, it communicates that their bosses (or others) are proud enough of their work to discuss it openly, and that the “big boss” thought it was important enough to repeat back to them.
Multiply the blessing.
Praise with collateral impact.
Third-party encouragement will make your employees’ or volunteers’ day, and maybe even their week.
Long live encouragement-triangulation.
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