Build a person, not a position!

Build a person, not a position!

Marcelene Cox said, “A child can never be better than what his parents think of him.”

How true is this statement? Many of you will read this and think about the times your parents helped to build you as an individual. How often they said things like, “You can do anything you want,” or “you are so smart!” Unfortunately, others who read this will think about how many times they did not hear encouraging, uplifting, and motivating statements.

Without completing research on the matter, it is difficult to say how the majority of each type of individual would be affected either way. However, here are a couple of things I do know when using this theory, whether it be with children, employees, co-workers, etc.

- Once is not enough. Reinforcement is the key to their success. If you believe in them, tell them so, and do it often. This will build confidence and rewards.
- Build the foundation. If you help someone to build self-confidence and self-respect, they will emulate that and gain respect wherever they go in life.
- Trust is essential! Through often confidence building statements, a new level of trust will be built between you and the other individual. With trust comes confidence and respect.

Of course there are exceptions to this. We have all seen made for TV movies in which a child raised in a destructive home refuses to be held down and becomes the President of a Fortune 500 company. But these cases are rare and shouldn’t be viewed as the norm.

My challenge to you is to build a person from within. Provide confidence building statements to your children, co-workers, and employees. See what miracles happen when those people know how much confidence you have in them. Watch the level of responsibility grow exponentially.

Remember; build a person, not a position!

Josh Brody is the President and CEO of Corporate Guidance Solutions, a consulting firm specializing in helping organizations and individuals realize their potential and enhance their performance.