Life can be difficult from time to time, and your co-workers, clients, family and friends can benefit from your encouragement. The right words, at the right time can instill hope, inspiration and courage to someone struggling to succeed.

As a leader, your words really matter. Every one of your interactions at work and home is an opportunity to bring out the best in someone.

The purpose of this message today is to encourage you to spend more time encouraging others over the next seven days.

Pick three people to focus on during the week. Identify one person at work and one in your family and create more opportunities to be one-on-one with these people during the week. Ask more open-ended questions about their goals and challenges and really listen to their answers. (Avoid giving advice on any subject.) Talk about what these people have done well in the past and give them sincere, positive feedback about their current efforts to reach their goals or change their behavior.

Keep a journal about what words and actions seem to encourage them to do more good work. Each person is different. To help others excel, we need to learn what motivates them to do better.

You will be amazed at the positive impact this little exercise will have on the quality of your relationship with these people and the impact your encouragement will have on their health, happiness and productivity.

The third person for this exercise is you. Make sure you use encouraging words when you’re talking to yourself. Act as if you were your own best friend or the most positive person from your past who used to be good at lifting you up during your down days. You will never be able to encourage others until you’re really good at encouraging yourself.

Let’s Get Better. Together! Bill Durkin