The sky is falling! In the past few days the President sent out a tweet threatening increased tariffs on products coming from China that would either directly or indirectly affect thousands of dollars on the bottom line by the end of the week. Amazon announces they are entering your business on top of the increased competition you are already facing. Even with what seems to be an endless string of positive economic news you notice your customers are more and more financially strapped and leveraged. While you strive for a harmonious workplace another office conflict has flared up again. All of this is happening on top of the normal day-to-day operations of your life.
Sound familiar? That was just Monday.
All of us face struggles wherever we lead. It is easy to focus on the negatives or the challenges and lead against them. As leaders, while it is necessary sometimes to rightly call things out, we are called to rise above. We are called not to tear people down, but to build them up. We are called, not to dismiss reality, but to frame it-to paint the vision of a positive future and then lead our teams toward that future. If we can’t lead by encouragement, we will be faced with the downward spiral of negativity which only secures our pessimistic future.
The Bible speaks to this truth when one of the early church leaders, the Apostle Paul writes, “But one who prophesies strengthens others, encourages them, and comforts them” 1 Corinthians 14:3 (NLT). To prophesy means to proclaim the truth. If you are proclaiming the truth in love, then you are strengthening, encouraging, and comforting your team. You are building them up.
If you are leading a team, leading your family, or leading yourself, how are you going to proclaim truth and lead through encouragement this week? Even if the sky is falling.