Encouraging the Heart

PRAISE FOR ENCOURAGING THE HEART "The bottom line is this: people thrive in environments where they find meaning, recognition, and purpose. When leaders provide those things, remarkable things happen! Kouzes' and Posner's latest is an exceptional handbook for anyone looking to improve their leadership and the lives of those in their span of care!" -BOB CHAPMAN, CEO of Barry-Wehmiller, author of Everybody Matters: The Extraordinary Power of Caring for Your People Like Family "This new edition of Encouraging the Heart arrives at a pivotal moment. As the most personal of The Leadership Challenge's Five Practices, it delves deep into what truly drives people to achieve: feeling valued and recognized. Jim and Barry provide an invaluable toolkit for leaders seeking to uplift and inspire their teams, organizations, families, and communities by acknowledging those who uphold shared values and go above and beyond expectations. In a world that can often seem dark, this book is a call to be the light." -LORI ARMSTRONG, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, CEO and Chief Clinical Officer, Inspire Nurse Leaders "Employee recognition is often referred to as the Greatest Management Principle in the World, and Encouraging the Heart provides a blueprint for how every leader can best harness the power of this proven principle to drive desired behavior and performance with their employees. It's a delight to read and even more fun to apply!" -BOB NELSON, PhD, creator of Worldwide Employee Appreciation Day, bestselling author of 1,501 Ways to Reward Employees "In a time when fear runs high, the need for encouragement runs higher! Grounded in research but written with heart, this book will equip you to embolden the hearts of others to lead from courage, not fear-to step bravely forward in the moments that matter most. The world will be better for it." -DR. MARGIE WARRELL, Leadership Speaker and bestselling author of The Courage Gap "Encouraging the Heart is a transformative guide that touches the essence of leadership-caring for your people. The approach is practical, evidence-based, and deeply human. This book will not only ignite purpose within your organization, but it will also help you build a culture where people feel valued, motivated, and truly appreciated. In these pages, you'll discover that when leaders lead with heart, people will give their very best." -GARRY RIDGE, Chairman Emeritus of WD-40 Company, The Culture Coach

JIM KOUZES and BARRY POSNER are authors of several award-winning and bestselling books, including: The Leadership Challenge; Everyday People, Extraordinary Leadership; A Leader's Legacy; The Truth About Leadership; and Credibility, as well as the widely used Leadership Practices Inventory (LPI). Together, they are among the most trusted sources on leadership development.

Introduction 1 Part One 1 The Heart of Leadership 13 2 The Seven Essentials of Encouraging 27 3 The Leadership Encouragement Index 45 Part Two 4 The First Essential: Set Clear Standards Aligned with Purpose 57 5 The Second Essential: Expect the Best 75 6 The Third Essential: Pay Attention 91 7 The Fourth Essential: Personalize Recognition 107 8 The Fifth Essential: Tell the Story 125 9 The Sixth Essential: Celebrate Together 143 10 The Seventh Essential: Set the Example 161 Part Three 11 Leadership Is an Affair of the Heart 181 12 101 Ways to Encourage the Heart 189 Notes 207 Acknowledgments 229 About the Authors 231 Index 235