A LITTLE ENCOURAGEMENT CAN GO A LONG WAY
Sometimes, a little encouragement can go a long way.
Several years ago, I helped someone in their job search, advising on what he could do and how to go about having conversations about his accomplishments and how he could contribute. He didn’t have much money to pay for on-going coaching at the time, so we had just a few conversations. I helped as I could and wished him well.
Fast forward a few years…I have moved from Connecticut to St. Louis and done many other professional duties since then. I didn’t give our previous conversations additional thought, but one day, I got a thank you note and a check in my mailbox. The note talked about how I had helped him; he summed it up by saying, “You are really good at what you do.”
Well, Ralph has paid his debt in full…not just from the money (although that is always helpful), but more for the encouragement he provided. You see, since moving to St. Louis, I have focused on other types of branding projects. I haven’t done much of the kind of consultation that I did with him (work that brought great joy and satisfaction), and I find that I miss it. I’ve been thinking about diving back into that, but I have been wondering whether I should.
So that one sentence had such a huge impact on me. I have carried that note with me in my briefcase every day since I got it. That note nudged me to begin again, so that’s what I’m doing. I’ve committed to publishing my book, Turbocharge Your Career, within the next three months, booking speaking engagements and setting things up online to do some coaching.
So thank you, Ralph, for sending that note. The money is certainly appreciated, but the thought has been priceless!
Is there someone that you can encourage? If so, tell them what they mean to you. Help them move toward their dream. You never know what a lasting impact that may have!
It was a hurried morning, getting everyone up and off to school while trying to finish preparations for my first trip to Israel. My 13-year-old daughter Brittany came in and asked, “So, where are you going first?” She knew this was a business trip for me to attend the General Assembly and to see the various agencies Federation supports, but she also understood that I would do a little sightseeing on my own whenever I could. Distractedly, I explained, “I’m going to visit a home for children who can’t stay with their parents; it’s like a foster home for some Israeli kids.” She left the room, and I continued contemplating how I would keep my suitcase under the airline’s mandatory 50-pound weight limit. She returned carrying her most cherished stuffed animal, a Bunny named Crystal. “Why don’t you give them this?” The gesture stopped me in my tracks. This super-soft bunny had been a present for her tenth birthday. “Are you sure?” I asked. She nodded, smoothing the bunny’s fur and repositioning the bows on floppy ears. “They need it more than I do,” she said simply.
Recently, someone asked me to recommend some books on social media. They wanted to understand the concepts behind social media and what is happening in those spaces. Here’s the list I provided to them: