Manage My Employees

The reader comment by RStone below, referencing a quote-gem by Mother Theresa (see post 10 Inspiring Quotes On Leadership | Manage My Employees) provides an apt reminder that our ‘words etch in the minds’ of our employees.

 RStone:

January 9, 2010 at 9:00 am (Edit)

“Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless.”
- Mother Theresa

I’ve led a number of seminars on “Giving Praise” and I’m struck by how many managers, can recall years later, the words spoken to them by a former supervisor, military commander or other authority figure. Those words, as Mother Theresa put it, still ‘echoed’ in their minds and more often than not, merely recalling those words stimulated

emotions felt as strongly as when they had been first spoken! I could see it on their face (or hear it in their voice) as they repeated what someone influential in their life, had said to them.

Amazing isn’t it? Words we’ve heard from others years later can still encourage, uplift or strengthen our souls. Unfortunately however, those words may still bring pain or discouragement when we recall them today.

The point of course, for any manager, is that we control the choice and the power (emotional delivery) of our words. We can think about what we say before it flies off the tongue, or, we can speak without consideration.

I’m reminded (among the volume of reading I do) that Angry words are like bullets, once they leave the chamber they have no friend [unknown]. And that, “Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.” King Solomon (book of Proverbs)

Bottom line:

• Give deserved praise lavishly.
• Speak carefully chosen words with measured emotion whenever we need to criticize or correct.
• Balance both in our communications with employees.

Thanks to RStone for his comment to a previous article!