YOU'RE DOING A REALLY GREAT JOB!

"Instruction does much, encouragement everything."

Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe (1749-1832) German poet/novelist/dramatist.

Actually the two together get the job done.

Not just how to do but props while doing as well.

GO IRISH!

"Even when they have nothing, the Irish emit a kind of happiness, a joy."

Fiona Shaw

20th/21st century Irish actress/theater/opera director

Yes they do.

Happy Saint Patrick's Day to all including the 16.7% Irish proportion of me.

Positive Reinforcement

"Criticism should be a casual conversation."

W. H. Auden

20th century English born poet

One of your responsibilities as a manager is to review the efforts of those who report to you.

Another is to do so in such a way that encourages rather than discourages the person whose work you are reviewing.

Change: You Are Not On Your Own

"The silence of the people is warning for the king."

French proverb

And the boss too.

I'm in the middle of a two year research project regarding the process of change, what it is and how to do it better.

One of the common conclusions is you can't do it alone and as a result, what happens in organizations that do not encourage employee input?

You Can Do It!

"My chief want in life is someone who will make me do what I can."

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Many of us have had the experience of a parent who convinces us we can ride our first bike without training wheels or them holding us up.

We wanted to, weren't sure we could, but they pushed us to succeed.

The more fortunate among us have such encouragement throughout our lives because there is no end to the "bikes" we need to "ride" for the first time.