Every month at High Desert Church our staff comes together for an early morning breakfast. After we eat and go over a few announcements our executive pastor, Jack Hamilton, usually does a leadership lesson for us. Last Wednesday he talked about appreciation. Here are the highlights from his talk:
1. Most people tend to be better complainers than they are praisers.
2. It takes four to eleven compliments to cancel out every one complaint (Psalm 141:3).
3. Appreciation for others starts with recognition of God. What you don’t do for God, you won’t do for others.
4. When God lets bad things happen in your life it’s never an accident. Instead of asking, “Why me, God?” we should be asking, “What are you trying to teach me, God?”
5. If you focus on the negative, eventually others will stop listening to you.
6. When there’s staff to staff conflict, people will leave the church.
7. If you focus on the negative, others will migrate to other sources of affirmation and appreciation because they’re not getting it from you.
8. No one is so secure they can’t benefit from a kind word from time to time.
9. You can’t appreciate others until you learn to appreciate who you are.
10. Appreciate who God made others to be.
11. If you have a proper view of yourself, you can help others have a proper view of themselves.
12. Appreciate WHY God places others in your life. We grow best in community.
13. The beautiful part about appreciation is anybody can do it.
14. “I can live for two months on one good compliment.” – Mark Twain
15. Appreciate others with an appropriate touch (Mark 1:41). Hugs, handshakes, and high-fives are all great ways to show you care.
16. Appreciate others with your money. Generosity shows how much you care.
17. Refuse to lower the quality of your time together. Turn off your phone, stop checking your email, and just be.
How are you showing the people you appreciate what they bring to the table?
Jeff McClung 