Leadership - Praise in the Present

Servant leadership, according to Jim Laub's (2004) model, involves the ability to value people. One way that leaders accomplish this is simply by believing in people. In my last posting I shared one of practical suggestion for increasing our belief in others – by perceiving their positive potential.

Projecting five years in the future and contemplating the growth and accomplishments of others is a positive activity that can provide vision for the leader, that can inspire a renewed commitment for each student (employee), and that can motivate a continued belief in those who are hard to like. This activity places us in the positive future where all things are possible and the boundaries are defined only by of creativity of our minds.

A second practical method of demonstrating that the leader believes in others, takes place in the present. It is one thing to see the potential in someone; it is another to notice and capitalize on their present strengths.

Leaders value people by believing in them through praising present participation (There go those “P”s again).

The leader should always be about the task of evaluating, assessing and inspecting the progress of his/her subordinates – not for the sake of micro-management or quality-control; but rather with the hope of discovering the exceptional, the important, the achievement...the valuable!

The classroom teacher (or the boss) needs to be excited about what his/her students will become in five years. The teacher should paint his/her vision for each student (employees), in hopes that the young person will catch the dream and excel even beyond the potential seen by the instructor. However, the classroom teacher must also see the current value of each student, not just the potential. The effective educator needs to be a student of his/her students – knowing their strength, weaknesses, concerns, joys, hurts, and needs. The ability to discover present achievement is tied to the ability to see between the lines and understand your people.

Part of the leader's unwritten job description is to discover what each student (employee) does well and celebrate that strength with them. It may be a talent to sing, draw, brainstorm, or think; it may show itself in effort, enthusiasm, or energy; it may be demonstrated in improvement, diligence, or perseverance; it might be reflected in novel ideation, fresh insights, or creative suggestions; or it might be felt thought the attitudes of support, loyalty, friendship and joy.

In his book, The Five Love Languages, Gary Chapman (1995) notes that one of the ways people experience love from others is through positive words of affirmation. True words of praise - acknowledging a job well done, a talent used, an attitude noticed, or a new insight shared - can light up one's heart with appreciation and gratitude. Many would rather hear the words of praise than receive a bonus in the paycheck (although both would even be better).

Look at your students – look at your organization. We stand half way through the school year and right at the end of the fiscal calendar for most businesses. Turn around an look at progress you have made this year. Many people have probably made positive contributions to the organization. Many have grown in maturity, developed new skills, built strong relationships, and achieved significant success. How well do we celebrate these strengths? How often do we praise the present strengths of the team, the collaborative culture of our organization, or the participation of the students in our school? Let's take some time to praise and celebrate!

Chapman, G.D. (1995). The five love languages. Northfield Publishing, Chicago.
Laub, J.A. (2004). Defining servant leadership: A recommended typology for servant leadership studies. Paper presented at the 2004 meeting of the Servant Leadership Roundtable, Virginia Beach, VA.