In part 1 of this series, Dr. Tony Garza discusses the significance behind the first word of this code: strength. Strength can take on many forms, both individually and collectively. So, what exactly is ‘strength’ within the modern team setting? And, since you’re most likely not charging into a battlefield with a sword anytime soon, how does the first component of this ancient Roman war code apply to you? Let’s dive in.

“Strength and honor.” I can remember these two words shared repeatedly amongst Roman soldiers in the 2001 Academy Award Winning film, Gladiator. The main character played by Russell Crowe is a General in the Roman army, and in several scenes, Roman soldiers would greet him and recite “strength and honor” amongst one another before stepping onto the battlefield. For many, these were their last words before ultimately losing their lives. For these soldiers, strength and honor was more than just a cool thing to say before rushing into battle; it was a code that they lived and died by—I think there is something profound about that.

In this series, I would like to take a closer look at these two words and discuss their significance in team-building. Your team may not be preparing for a battle against invading armies (although it may feel like that sometimes), but your team would likely benefit from incorporating these two fundamental values into the building blocks of your organization’s cultural infrastructures. So, let’s start off with the first one–strength.

Strength

When we think about strength, we tend to think of it in terms of personal strength. What can I do well, what are my strengths, and what do I bring to the team? Although this does play an important role, I want to focus on strength as it relates to a team. What is the core strength of a team? Some would say it’s the leader or the individual abilities of each team member. (We have likely all heard the “you’re only as strong as your weakest link” mantra.) Others would point to established goals and vision as the key to team strength. All these answers are not wrong, and each plays a vital role within teamwork. However, I want to propose something different:

“The strength of a team is determined by a unique component—Trust.”

Well-known author and inspirational speaker Simon Sinek once said, “a team is not a group of people who work together, but rather, a group of people who trust each other.” Regardless of each individual’s strength or the strength of the leaders, a team may be weak if the team members do not trust each other.

“When team members trust each other, they will go above and beyond for the good of the team, because they trust the person next to them to do the same.”

This was essential for Roman soldiers as they had to trust that the soldier next to them would guard them with their shield. It was total reliance on one another. In his book, The 5 Dysfunctions of a Team , Patrick Lencioni stated, “Trust is the foundation of real teamwork” and that “Teamwork actually begins by building trust.” Trust is essential to collaboration between team members, especially in the relationship between leaders and their teams.

As Christ-followers, it is no secret what is the source of our strength. Observing numerous biblical passages, I find it interesting that you will find that trust is at the center of relying on God for strength within the context of each verse. The Psalmist declared, The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust
 (Psalm 18:2, KJV). I must first put my trust in Him and believe that He is able and willing to give me strength.

So, you want a stronger team? How is the level of trust between your team members? Can others trust you to have the team’s or (organization, church, family, marriage, etc.) best interest in mind? Can you trust the other members of your team to do the same?

A lack of trust will create dysfunction and sabotage teamwork. The problem is that a lack of trust is not always easy to identify or communicate, and it may show up in different forms. What we say and how we say it communicates the level of trust in others. Do you inspire trust in the way you communicate and relate to others?

We have all been part of group projects where we knew we had to do extra to account for the one team member (or several) who cannot be trusted to do their part. This has left us with understandable trust issues when it comes to teamwork. This is a real problem that requires addressing, and there are efficient ways to do so (which may merit its own blog).

So, if you want a strong team…

…then I encourage you to build trust amongst your team. Pay careful attention to what you delegate and your initial thoughts about others when thinking about a new project. You may find that you’re making decisions based on a lack of trust, and that is not a good place to be. These are important (and difficult) questions to ask ourselves, but the more trust you have, the more you will accomplish together. It is great to work with a team that trusts each other to accomplish the mission at hand and looks out for one another. Perhaps it is not that we are only as strong as our weakest link, but that we are as strong as our level of trust.

This article is republished from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary.

These strategies are derived from the success of the popular TED Talks organization and other well known sources of homiletical wisdom referenced below. They are intended to help preachers think of the attention of their audience when writing and delivering their sermons. Let’s begin!

Strategy #1: Start Strong.

In Preaching That Connects , Mark Galli and Craig Brian Larson offer this advice regarding the opening sentences of a sermon:

“The opening sentence of a sermon is an opportunity. It’s not crucial that we craft it
perfectly — even the most apathetic will bear with us at least two or three sentences
before turning us off. Still, it’s a shame if we waste the moment when listeners are giving
us their highest attention. If we do this sentence well, we won’t still be working for
people’s attention when we are well into the sermon.” ¹

Preachers must capitalize on their opening sentences, and use them well.

The opening statements set the tone for the rest of the sermon and it is at this time that most of your listeners will determine whether they are in with you for the long haul or not.

Remember, if listeners are not engaged from the very beginning, they have a device in their pockets or their purses that can give them access to literally anything else that could entertain them for the next 30 minutes. Sermon introductions set the tone for the rest of the message. They must raise curiosity, demand complete attention and provide a hook that will lure listeners in for more.

Strategy #2: Use Visuals.

The use of visual aids can give preachers a powerful tool to transform their sermons into three-dimensional messages for their listeners. When preachers introduce some sort of visual aid in the form of a prop, a photograph or a short video clip, they are actively drawing the attention of their listeners away from other distractions.

Implement visuals to reel in the members of your audience who learn better visually.

In his book, Sojourners and Strangers: The Doctrine of the Church , Gregg Allison correctly noted that preaching has become problematic due the rising reliance of visual communication as opposed to the auditory learning style promoted by preaching. ²

Of course, visual aids should be used sparingly and for maximum effectiveness. These tools have the potential to stick in the memories of your audience’s visual learners.

Strategy #3: Repetition, Repetition, Repetition.

Another powerful weapon in the armory of a skilled homilitician is the use of repetition during a sermon. Even distracted listeners can pick up on a sermon’s main points if the key words, phrases and ideas are repeated often by the preacher during the delivery.

Repetition provides the mental reinforcements that the brain needs to piece together the information being presented during a sermon.

In How Effective Sermons Advance , Ben Awbrey writes that through the use of repetition, sermons gain greater unity, which enhances the cognitive understanding of the sermon and text in the minds of the hearers. ³

Strategy #4: Make a Note to NOT Use Notes.

TED encourages its speakers to give their presentations without notes so that they can better engage their listeners. ⁴ This allows speakers to have proper eye contact with their listeners and better use non-verbal gestures to retain attention.

If preachers desire for their listeners to not be glued to their smartphones during a message, they must not be glued to the notes in their pulpits.

Preachers must not lose their audiences’ attention by referring back to their notes multiple times throughout a sermon.

Strategy #5: Strong Sermon Structuring.

Effective sermons that engage and command the attention of listeners are structured well. Whether your sermon is arranged deductively or inductively, it is important that listeners can follow the trajectory that you are walking them through.

Arrange your sermon in an organized manner that clearly outlines various points that are memorable and easy to understand.

Doing this will allow you to keep their attention throughout the message and make them want to hear more. Transitions also play a large role in this strategy. In Biblical Preaching , Haddon Robinson wrote that transitions serve as road signs to point out where the sermon has been and where it is going,next. ⁵

Skilled preachers can provide carefully crafted verbal transitions to guide the audience through the various points of your message. By doing this, you can help your listeners follow along with you well so that they are not tempted to pull their attention away from the sermon.

Strategy #6: Timing is Everything.

As a child, one of the table topics of Sunday lunches after church was our pastor’s sermon length in minutes. My father consistently checked his watch when our pastor would begin his sermons, announce his conclusions and when he actually concluded his message. To this day, my mind thinks about those who might be in my audience doing the same thing.

There is no set standard for a sermon’s length, but it should be closely considered in the age of smartphones.

TED mandates that their speakers have an allowed time limit of 18 minutes for their talks. Here is how Chris Anderson, TED’s curator explained his organization’s thinking on the issue in terms of public speaking and timing:

“It [18 minutes] is long enough to be serious and short enough to hold people’s attention..
By forcing speakers who are used to going on for 45 minutes to bring it down to 18,
you get them to really think about what they want to say. What is the key point they want to
communicate? It has a clarifying effect. It brings discipline.” ⁶

Preachers should consider this logic when writing their sermons. I’m not suggesting that all sermons should be contained to an 18-minute timeframe, but that they should consider being more concise when preaching.

What elements are the most important in the sermon? This question can be helpful to ask when considering the limited attention spans of your listeners.

The more “fluff” your sermon has, the more prone your listeners will be to turn their attention to their smartphones.

Strategy #7: End Strong.

The final strategy fittingly focuses on the conclusion of a sermon. As a preaching student in seminary, I remember being shocked by my professor’s instruction to always begin writing sermons with the conclusion.

Effective communicators must begin their sermon writing process with the conclusion in mind.

This will allow the structure of the sermon to point towards a climatic ending that could stick in the minds of even the most distracted listeners. If you have been successful in keeping the attention of your audience away from their smartphones for the duration of the sermon, you don’t want to lose them by failing to end without a strong pay off.

Haddon Robinson famously asked his preaching students, “What can your people do to carry out the truth of Sunday morning’s sermon in Monday morning’s world?” ⁷

A strong conclusion will answer that question for your listeners by summarizing the message and doing it in such a way that it remains in their minds.

Conclusion

Research will continue to trace the mental effects of smartphone use as time progresses and preachers should remain aware of this. Smartphones will keep getting smarter and so homileticians must adapt to meet the needs of a constantly changing reality.

By utilizing strategies such as those listed above, preachers can actively engage their audiences well before they engage their devices and gain the upper hand in the “attention war.”

References:

¹ Mark Galli and Craig Brian Larson, Preaching That Connects (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1994), 37.

² Gregg R. Allison. Sojourners and Strangers: The Doctrine of the Church (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2012), 436.

³ Ben Awbrey, How Effective Sermons Advance (Eugene, OR: Wipf and Stock, 2011), 186.

⁴ Anderson, TED Talks: The Official TED Guide to Public Speaking, 143.

⁵ Haddon Robinson, Biblical Preaching. (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2014), 138.

⁶ Carmine Gallo, The Science Behind TED’s 18-Minute Rule. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/20140313205730-5711504-the-science-behind-ted-s-18-minute-rule/ (accessed on Aug. 14, 2018).

⁷ Robinson, Biblical Preaching, 130.

This article is republished from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary.

Cognitive Effects of Smartphone Use

The rise of smartphone use has led many psychologists and researchers to conduct studies to determine the cognitive effects on the human brain as a result of their use. This is relevant to preaching because as Richard Cox pointed out in his book, Rewiring Your Preaching, “the results of preaching are predicated and dependent on the worshiper’s natural (brain) ability to pay attention, integrate current thought with experiences and knowledge, and utilize memory.” ¹ This implies that the available cognitive capacity of listeners is dependent on their ability to pay attention – something that is hard to do when we live in a world where our smartphones connect us to the internet and notifications are seemingly endless.

In 2017, a research team from the University of Texas at Austin led by psychologist Adrian Ward conducted two experiments to test “how dependence on these devices affects the ability to think and function in the world off-screen.” ²

This particular study concentrated on the notion that the mere presence of one’s smartphone can impair their cognition and reduce their focus on a given task. The study consisted of nearly 800 undergraduate students who were asked to do one of three things with their smartphones:

• place their smartphone on the desk in view
• place their smartphone in their pocket, purse or backpack, but within reach
• place their smartphones somewhere outside of the

This study was then carried out in two different experiments –

Experiment 1 – a group of the participants were subjected to a variety of tests that measured each student’s cognitive capacity.

This experiment found that the students that left their phone in another room outperformed the students that had their phones close by. The researcher’s results revealed that the mere presence of one’s smartphone decreases available cognitive capacity and can effectively impairs cognitive functioning, even though individuals feel they’re giving their complete attention and focus to a task.

Experiment 2 – a group of participants were given the same focus-oriented tests to measure available cognitive capacity.

The difference with this group however, is that the students were required to self-report when they felt the need to think about their phone. Again, the results revealed that the students that left their phones outside of the room outperformed the students that had their phones close by. This suggests that when preachers are speaking, listeners are already at a cognitive disadvantage by just having their smartphone in their pocket or in their purse nearby.

Smartphones have also introduced a notion that multitasking can be good for the brain and that focus can be equally distributed.

When listeners pull out their smartphones during a sermon to check a text message or read a sports notification, their intention might be to briefly multitask before returning to focusing fully on the sermon. According to Daniel Goleman, a bestselling author on emotional and social intelligence, the brain simply doesn’t work this way.

Goleman shares: “Attention tasks don’t really go on in parallel, as “multitasking” implies; instead they demand rapid switching from one thing to the other. And following every such switch, when our attention returns to the original task, its strength has been appreciably diminished. It can take several minutes to ramp up once again to full concentration” ³

This reality presents a challenge for preachers. Each time a smartphone is used by a listener, concentration on the sermon is lost and then must be regained. In fact, each time a listeners interacts with his or her smartphone during your sermon, they might be tempted to view more than just one notification. Their intention of viewing one acute text message might lead them check other applications on their smartphone as well since they already have it out and available to them.

It is plausible to deduce from the research described above that the human attention span during smartphone use has been decreased. It is also plausible to link these decreases in cognition to the increased reliance on smartphones.

In fact, Apple released a statistic in 2016 stating that their iPhone users routinely unlocked their devices on average of 80 times per day. ⁴ Another 2016 study found that the attention span of students listening to lectures is determined by the skills of the lecturer rather than the material itself. ⁵ These results indicate that a preacher skilled in the art of presentation should be able to capture the attention of an audience throughout a sermon, no matter the topic or length.

POSITIVE IMPLICATIONS OF PUBLIC SPEAKING IN THE SMARTPHONE AGE

Obviously, excessive smartphone use is not good for the brain or for us preachers who wish to use our homiletical gifts to make an impact for God’s kingdom. But in light of all of the research that points to the negative aspects of congregational cellular use, there is a big advantage that preachers may wish to capitalize on. This advantage is that public speaking is still regarded as a popular way to communicate information in our modern society. The TED Talks organization is known for doing public speaking well.

Just as the Apostle Paul would step up to speak with the Stoics and Epicureans in a public meeting place of his time, TED has become a popular medium to share insightful ideas in our contemporary society. The TED model allows presenters to speak in front of audiences at various events throughout a given year. These talks are then shared online to a larger worldwide audience.

The popularity of TED is a reminder that public speaking is still a relevant and effective way to communicate an idea to an audience. The TED Talks website currently boasts 2,800 ⁶ available talks in digital video format. Though TED Talks began in 1984, the organization began publishing their talks online in 2006 and had already reached a staggering one billion views by 2012. ⁷

According to TED’s curator, Chris Anderson, public speaking offers listeners something that they can’t get out of just reading information: personal connection, engagement, curiosity, understanding, empathy, excitement, conviction and action. ⁸ Anderson understands smartphone competition with public speaking as an “attention war” and offers many pieces of advice in his TED public speaking guide to combat it. ⁹

As Anderson implies, public speaking itself still remains one of the most effective means of communicating an idea to an audience.

Conclusion

In the preaching world, though the message comes from God, the presenter has the opportunity to use his or her spiritual gifting to uniquely relay that message through one’s own personality and method of speaking. Learning how to do this in a world where smartphones are “warring” for the attentions of listeners is vital. It can be done and it can be done well. Effective modern preaching strives to tear away the individualistic gratification offered by smartphones by in turn offering the communication of information with a personal touch.

References:

¹ Richard H. Cox, Rewiring Your Preaching. (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2012), 23.

² Adrian F. Ward, Kristen Duke, Ayelet Gneezy, and Maarten W. Bos, “Brain Drain: The Mere Presence of One’s Own Smartphone Reduces Available Cognitive Capacity,” Journal of the Association for Consumer Research 2, no. 2 (April 2017): 140-154.

³ Goleman, Daniel. “Multitasking Isn’t Making You More Efficient, It’s Frying Your Attention Span.” LinkedIn (blog), September 9, 2017. Accessed August 14, 2018. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/multitasking-isnt-making-you-more-efficient-its-frying-daniel-goleman/.

⁴ Bajarin, Ben. “Apple’s Penchant for Consumer Security.” Tech.pinions (blog), April 18, 2016. Accessed August 10, 2018. https://techpinions.com/apples-penchant-for-consumer-security/45122.

⁵ Bradbury, Neil A. “Attention Span during Lectures: 8 Seconds, 10 Minutes, or More?” Advances in Psychology Education40, no. 4 (December 2016): 509-13. Accessed August 12, 2018. https://www.physiology.org/doi/10.1152/advan.00109.2016.

⁶ TED Talks. https://www.ted.com/talks?sort=popular (accessed on Sept. 1 2018) This number represents the available TED Talks as of the writing of this paper. This number continues to grow each month as TED adds more events and talks to their library.

⁷ TED Staff. “TED Reaches Its Billionth Video View!” TED Blog, 30 Oct. 2014, blog.ted.com/ted-reaches-its-billionth-video-view/. (accessed on Sept. 1 2018).

⁸ Chris Anderson, TED Talks: The Official TED Guide to Public Speaking. (New York, NY: First Mariner Books, 2017), 199.

⁹ Anderson, TED Talks: The Official TED Guide to Public Speaking, 157.

TRANSCRIPT

– [MUSIC PLAYING] I think I was about 10 years old the day that my grandfather showed me a piece of history, a secret he kept hidden for decades in a closet. It was a private piece of history from his years of service in the US Army. He had served as a medic, you see, and he would routinely be sent to the front lines of battle, just hours before his arrival. He would look over the troops and see what was happening there. And one day, he found something very interesting. There’s a picture of my grandfather with my boys and my father right there. So he comes to the area where there have been battles just hours before. And he’s tending to the US wounded, and he approached several dead German soldiers. And he noticed at least one of the bodies still had one of these. He picked it up, looked it over. He marveled at the German engineering of this now famous German Luger pistol. It caught his eye. So, being a Price, he just took it and kept it. Tucked it away in his back pocket, into the Jeep, and it made its way all the way back to his hometown of Muncie, Indiana. Well, that day, he showed me this pistol. I was like transported back in time to touch a piece of history that, today, I realize is very sacred to America. You see, my grandfather was a member of what many historians call the greatest generation. These were the young adult men and women of the 1940s, of whom it can be argued that they saved the world. They kept the ideals of freedom and democracy alive for you and I. World War II was the war, friends, that sent men like my grandfather and women like my grandmother to the factories across America, to the front lines overseas, to work the jobs that men left behind. And history informs us that almost every single American wanted to do something to contribute to the war. Men were willing to fight, women willing to work. War bonds were being purchased in mass quantities, and people were more than happy to even ration their own food. But the question I want to answer today is this– in a world way before the dawn of the internet and instant social media, how did all this happen? How did the United States get what seemed like every American citizen on board to contribute to the war effort? I submit to you the answer, as Dr. [? Loeb ?] referred to yesterday and Professor [INAUDIBLE] referred to today, was carefully crafted propaganda, a lot of it. What is propaganda? Well, it’s defined as information of a biased nature used to promote or publicize a particular political cause or a point of view. Now, in the case of World War II, there was propaganda everywhere, with phrases like the buy war bonds, and [INAUDIBLE] of course I can. You saw those. And my favorite– you buy them, we’ll fly them. It was in TV shows, commercials, on the radio. Even Donald Duck was leveraged in the propaganda machine. I mean, what kid back in the 1940s did not love one of Walt Disney’s favorite characters? But the war effort for propaganda was most prevalent through the influence of Hollywood. And many of these influencers were commissioned and paid for by something called the US War Department. A handful of promising young film directors put their careers on hold to join the war effort. These included men like- you need to know these names– Frank Capra, John Huston, George Stevens, William Wyler, John Ford. These men were all featured in the recent Netflix documentary series called Five Came Back. And I really encourage you to watch this three part series if you’re interested in further exploring their contributions to our nation. All of these men paid a very personal price for the war. Some returned to Tinseltown only to find that they had been penalized for being away from the machines of the Hollywood system. Others seemed unable to return to their producing more lighter comedic works. In fact, George Stevens, he was known for his humor before the war. Well, he turned his post-war attention to more somber and sober works like A Place in the Sun and the film called Shane. He once said, I came back and I tried, I tried, to make a comedy. I just couldn’t do it. 1959, Stevens directed The Diary of Anne Frank. You heard Ms. Montgomery mention that film earlier, or that book earlier, where he tried to find a glimmer of hope in a world torn apart by the ravages of war. The narrative films and documentaries these men and others like them produced were laced, friends, with overt propaganda themes. And they were aimed at influencing the American people in their view of the war. These themes were potent weapons that not only motivated the troops to fight and folks at home to pitch in, but it also spread hatred of the Nazis and the Japanese. The mainstream messaging consisted of three powerfully effective themes. One was the nature of the enemy. Number two was the need for men to fight overseas. And three was the need for women to work and sacrifice. So let’s examine them all and see how film shots fired served as the primary propaganda machine of World War II. Number one, the nature of the enemy. This was the most common theme used in many films and poster propaganda during World War II. Stereotypes of Nazis and Japanese were used to spread racism and hatred for the opposition. Characters in a film commonly used offensive language in reference to these adversaries. The goal was to make Americans hate the enemy so much that they would do anything to help the US defeat them. In fact, in popular movies, such as 30 Seconds Over Tokyo and Destination Tokyo and many others, the Japanese enemy overseas are referred to as Japs– you heard that earlier, as well, in our presentations– which quickly evolved into a derogatory term across the entire United States. Millions of Americans began to mimic what they heard in the movies and refer to all Japanese as Japs. And sometimes even as rats and monkeys, whether they were the enemy or simply an innocent Japanese American. Tragically, this led to the mistreatment of thousands of Japanese Americans. Many were held here– you see the picture– in what’s called internment camps for the duration of the war, because of fears that they were spies for the Japanese empire. But the Japanese were not the only enemy targeted in American propaganda films. The Nazis, the German Nazis, received their fair share of film shots fired against them. However, the goal of the propaganda aimed at the Nazis was different than the goal aimed at the Japanese, you see. Instead of spreading racism, blanket racism, against an entire nation, films about Nazis made them appear so brutal and controlling against their own citizens that Americans would feel compassion for the innocent Germans. For example, in the film by Walt Disney titled Education for Death– The Making of the Nazi, nearly every aspect of German civil life was depicted as under strict control by the Nazi party. Genealogical paperwork had to show the child was pure Aryan. Even a baby’s name had to be approved. The film also showed Nazis brainwashing children in schools by instructing them to believe that Germans were a superior race with no tolerance for weaklings or inherited diseases. Perhaps the most crucial propaganda theme, though, was the need for men to fight overseas. Without American men willing to risk their lives in battle, there would be absolutely no way the US and their allies could win the war and defeat the Axis powers. The government had to convince millions of men to leave their families and safety behind to fight in a bloody and dangerous conflict. And yes, there was a national lottery, but let’s face it, it’s a lot easier to win when the troops voluntarily decide to fight for their country. So to aid in this campaign, the US War Department had an idea. They began to tap on the shoulder of the aforementioned Frank Capra, who had already produced two Hollywood hits. You might recognize these films– It Happened One Night and Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. Under the direction of a name you’ll recognize, chief of staff George C. Marshall, he directed a unique seven-episode series titled Why We Fight, which was aimed at showing American men what they were fighting for and why it was an honor to defend the great nation of America. During their first meeting together, General Marshall told Capra’s mission, quote, “Now, Capra, I want to nail down with you a plan to make a series of documented, factual-information films, the first in our history that will explain to our boys in the Army. Why we’re fighting and the principles for which we’re fighting. You have an opportunity to contribute enormously to your country and the cause of freedom.” Well, after meeting with Marshall, Capra was shown a frightening propaganda film produced by the enemy, the Nazis, titled The Triumph of the Will. This film instantly opened Capra’s eyes to the immense challenge that lay ahead. Capra described the film as, quote, “the ominous prelude of Hitler’s Holocaust of hate.” He said, “Satan could not have devised a more blood-chilling super spectacle.” Capra admitted he was paralyzed to compete against the strong-handed propaganda for the Nazis. He said the film had fired no guns and dropped no bombs, but as a psychological weapon aimed at destroying the will to resist, it was just as lethal. Capra then slipped into what we might call the dark night of the soul. Quote, he said, “I sat alone and I pondered, how could I mount a counterattack against the triumph of the will and keep alive our will to resist this master race concept? I was alone. No studio, no equipment, no personnel.” As he began to calculate his cinematic response, Capra quoted scripture as inspiration. “I thought of the Bible,” he said. “There was one sentence in it that always gave me–” he called them goose pimples. “You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” And then an idea was born inside of him. He may have called it a hunch, but I think it may have been more divine inspiration. He suggested to Marshall this. He said, let the enemy prove to our soldiers the enormity of his cause but the justice of ours. Let’s use the enemy’s own films to expose their enslaving ends. He then convinced the general to, quote, “Let’s let our boys hear of the Nazis and the Japs shout their own claims of master race crud, and our fighting men will know why they’re in uniform.” And that, friends, is exactly what Frank Capra did. He secretly began to acquire film reels of Nazi propaganda and began putting them into his own releases. In addition, the Why We Fight films use techniques such as nostalgic analogies to remind people of the challenges America had faced before and how we’d overcome them because of brave men. The films discussed the selling of America at Plymouth Rock, way back to the beginning of our nation, and the building of our colonies. These films idolized how men of valor fought in the American Revolution to defend their sacred freedoms. And that it was now in the hands of their generation, the greatest generation, to do the same for America. Propaganda films were beginning to have a very deep, felt impact on recruitment and morale. Now, think about this. Without Capra’s propaganda and other filmmakers like him, millions of men may not have freely enlisted in the Army, which may have led to a mandatory draft with a much wider net. But maybe more low approval ratings for America’s entanglement in the war, which may have then led to eventual withdrawal and ultimately defeat. But thanks, in part, to film propaganda, that never happened. The third one, though, is the final reel of film propaganda was the need for women to work and sacrifice. This focused the lens on this aspect of Americana. These messages showed how they could help in the war effort by taking those tough-nosed, dirty jobs in factories and manufacturing plants. In one scene from the film 30 Seconds Over Tokyo, the wives of fighter pilots off at war are talking about their lives. And one of them indicates she’s going to get a job in a defense factory because, “I can’t imagine just sitting around in my house doing nothing.” The goal of this film was for life to imitate art and embolden women across America to use their energies on the home front as a direct support system for their men in the military. A film called Women in Defense– it’s a short film produced by the Office of Emergency Management. It was actually written by First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, and it was narrated by popular actress Katharine Hepburn. The film script included on-the-nose lines such as, “American women are alert to the dangers which threatened our democracy today. Every woman has an important place in the national defense program, in science, in industry, and in the home.” These films made women feel important and that their physical efforts could make a significant impact in winning the war. Something American women had yet to fully experience, you could say, in the Revolutionary War, in the Civil War, and in World War I. Without American women working in these converted factories and other important plants, the government knew the US would not be able to manufacture supplies and weapons needed in a timely fashion. It was an edge, we could say, that the US military leveraged through messages in these wartime movies. These women were also encouraged by the US War Department to ration food for their families and go without luxuries they once enjoyed. In order for the US to have the best chance of winning, their kitchens would have to sacrifice food like butter and cheese and meat and jams and fruit. And the same rules applied to restaurants. In the film Destination Tokyo, captain of a ship writes a letter to his wife explaining how his son will not be able to get a toy train for Christmas because, quote, “we are in a war.” He continues writing that his son will understand the sacrifice. It’s worth giving up one toy for one Christmas so the US can win the war. He ends the letter with a promise that next Christmas will be different. This film featured, of course, the famous Cary Grant. In short order, women in America became accustomed to rationing and no longer mind doing so, because they knew that it was helping with the war effort. It was a powerful collective mindset planted by propaganda films. So, in summary, whether you agree or you disagree with the use of propaganda, it’s hard to argue its effectiveness in World War II. It created, number one, hate for the enemy. It brought out bravery and courage in men. It empowered women to work in these factories and these plants, and it convinced people to ration their food and help our troops believe in the cause of the war. Its effectiveness, friends, was indisputable. And propaganda films have a very important place in American World War II history. The propaganda during the war aided in creating a groundswell of support for the war. In fact, data shows that from 1917 to 1973, three of the top four years of what’s called inductions into service were from the World War II era– 3.0 in 1942, 3.3 in 1943, and 1.6 million in 1944. Now, these figures represent the number of folks who freely entered, who signed up for service to the selective service system. And in the end, it was America and her allies that triumphed against both the Japanese and the Germans, thanks in part to the film shots fired by the powerful propaganda machine of World War II. Thank you. [APPLAUSE] [MUSIC PLAYING]

The vocal folds consist of two mucous membranes that are housed in the larynx. When we phonate (sing or speak), the cords adduct (come together) and vibrate (approximately 260 times a second for middle C). When we take a breath, the cords abduct (come apart). In order for this process to occur in a healthy manner while singing, there are several things we can take note of to protect our vocal folds:

1. Take voice lessons

This is especially for those who want a career in singing, whether it be a worship pastor, a professional singer, or even if one wants to sing as a hobby. With voice lessons, one not only learns how to breathe in a way that is conducive to singing, but one also learns how to engage the abdominal muscles and diaphragm to support the voice. This is crucial in learning how to sing with the correct technique in order to avoid vocal nodules, polyps, etc.

2. Stay hydrated

It is crucial that a singer drinks plenty of water, as the vocal folds need to stay healthy and hydrated. When the cells of the tissue are optimally moist, the laryngeal tissue is less viscous. Caffeine acts as a diuretic, so one needs to make sure they are drinking plenty of water. This is especially true for avid coffee/soft drink/tea drinkers.

3. Be aware of vocal abuse

It can be seen in many forms ranging from a tremor in the voice, lack of vocal range, reduced volume and projection of the voice, reduced vocal endurance, discomfort while speaking/singing, etc. This can be avoided by cultivating healthy habits such as not shouting, speaking in one’s normal vocal range, not clearing one’s throat or coughing excessively, not whispering, always warming up (for singers) and taking voice lessons to better understand the vocal mechanism.

4. Be aware of your environment

Protect your voice by making sure you are not constantly exposed to air conditioners/heaters/fans that dry the environment. Pressurized air on airplanes has a drying effect on the voice; therefore make sure you drink more fluid when in these situations. Medications such as antihistamines also have a drying effect on the voice.

5. See an ENT if you notice things are not quite right

If after a couple of weeks, your voice is not quite ‘bouncing back to normal’ (hoarse throat/laryngitis, etc.), it is best to get yourself checked by an ENT. The ENT may perform a laryngoscopy to make sure all is well.

Most importantly, remember that your voice is a gift from the Lord, and is part of the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 6:19).

Therefore, take care of your voice, so that if you are in a profession that makes use of the voice on a regular basis (such as a worship pastor), you can use your voice for decades without having to cut short on the years of use due to negligence.

Below are sources as well as further material on this topic:

McKinney, James C. The Diagnosis and Correction of Vocal Faults. Broadman Press, Nashville Tennessee, 1994.

Miller, Richard. On the Art of Singing. Oxford University Press Inc., New York, 1996.

Brown, Oren L. Discover Your Voice: How to Develop Healthy Voice Habits. Singular Publishing Group Inc, San Diego, California, 1996.

Duke Voice Care Center – dukevoicecare.org

Reframing

Another way in which we can respond to a person venting is by using a technique called reframing. The goal of reframing is to offer a different perspective or a new way of thinking (Hackney & Cormier, 2013). Reframing looks beyond “the silver lining” and creates a new frame of reference. There is a 3 step process to reframing. The listener should:

1. Use active listening skills to learn about the situation and its details

2. Offer a different, more constructive view about thoughts, feelings, or behaviors

3. Allow the person to respond or react to the reframe

So how does this work? Let’s paint a hypothetical picture. Let’s say that your friend is frustrated about a recent argument with her mom. Your friend tells you that she decided to drop out of school because “it just wasn’t working for her.” Her mom was extremely upset about the decision. Your friend feels rejected and unloved. You might reframe by saying, “It sounds like your mom cares about you and your future.” You would then allow your friend to respond.

Unfruitful Venting

Have you ever seen a hamster run in a wheel? The animal runs and runs, around and around, but never actually goes anywhere. People do this when they cannot stop thinking about an issue, comment, event, etc. This is a psychological phenomenon called rumination. We become angry, disappointed, or frustrated and we talk about the thing that is upsetting. Venting is not always a negative action, but it can be unfruitful. Talking about an event repeatedly does not solve the problem. As a matter of fact, rumination can leave one stuck in the past, dwelling on what was and not on what’s to come.

So how do we handle this as a in a constructive, positive manner? The answer to this question is based on the type of relationship that we have with the person. Trust is a large component of the response. If the person venting trusts the active listener, pointing out the rumination can be a positive action. One might say, “It sounds like you can’t stop thinking about this. What are you hoping to gain from venting about it?” Granted that might sound a bit bold, but again, a response is rooted in relationship. If one does not have a deep relationship with the individual venting, the response should be different. One might say, “It sounds like you are very frustrated. What were you hoping would happen?” In the counseling profession, it is said “the relationship is the vehicle for change.” The depth of relationship will impact how one should respond.

It is important to note here too that certain personalities lend themselves to rumination and unhealthy venting. In this case, one needs to consider how s/he will invest in these relationships. The active listener exerts energy in determining how to respond to the person venting. It is appropriate to set boundaries in this area. Setting concrete times (e.g. 2-3PM) for conversation with a friend who needs to vent is an appropriate technique to protect one’s time and energy.

Conclusion

Healthy relationships, at any level, require effective communication skills. How to respond to a vent is a necessary skill for the workplace. As an active listener, one can use reframing to help individuals to take on a different perspective. Additionally, an active listener can help a person venting identify rumination and work towards “stopping the wheel.” The depth of the relationship and trust are keys in responding to a vent. Protecting one’s time and energy is an important skill for the active listener. Healthy communication is an art; one that must be practiced and observed.

References:

Bodie, G.D., Vickery, A.J., Cannava, K., & Jones, S.M. (2015). The role of “active listening” in informal helping conversations: Impact on perceptions of listener helpfulness, sensitivity, and supportiveness and discloser emotional improvement. Western Journal of Communication, 79(2), 151-173.

Bryant, L. (2009). The art of active listening. Practice Nurse, 37(6), 49-52.

Egan, G. (2007). The skilled helper: A problem-management and opportunity development approach to helping. Belmont, CA: Thomas Higher Education.

Goldsmith, D.J. (2004). Communication social support. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press.

Hackney, H.L., & Cormier, S. (2013). The professional counselor: A process guide to helping. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc.

Kurz, C. (2017, March 16). The psychology of venting. [Web log comment]. Retrieved from /the-psychology-of-venting

Why Venting

One of the main reasons why we vent is to reduce our stress levels. states that disclosing stress is a coping mechanism. Venting is a 2-way process: the person venting and the person hearing the vent. As a matter of fact, positive venting can reduce stress, but negative venting can lead to heightened stress and physical health concerns. It is not just about the person venting, but equally important, the person who is hearing the vent. Research has shown that the difference between positive and negative venting can be focused on the ways in which the person hearing the vent responds, both through speech and action . This research supports numerous counseling theories and models that focus on active listening, empathy, and safety.

Empathy validates a person’s feelings, sympathy does not acknowledge the feelings involved. Empathy is active, sympathy is passive.

Active Listening

When people vent, they may not need a verbal response. They want someone to listen. For a moment, stop and think about the last time you actual felt heard. How did you know that you were heard? What did the person listening do to convey that s/he heard you? Now take a minute and think about a time when you did not feel heard. What made you believe that the listener was not hearing you?

Examples of inadequate listening include:

Thinking about other things, tuning out the person, listening partially or in fragments, and rehearsing, or thinking about what we, as the listeners, will say next (Egan, 2007). When communicating with people we should use active listening which is defined as behavior that communicates interest and understanding using verbal and nonverbal messages shared in conversation . Body language can also indicate listening. SOLER is an acronym used in the counseling discipline to teach body language that conveys active listening (Egan, 2007).

S – stands for facing the individual SQUARELY, which means that you are facing the person, both head and body.

O – stands for OPEN posture, which means arms are not crossed.

L – stands for leaning toward the person.

E – stands for maintaining EYE CONTACT.

R – stands for RELAXED in the other behaviors listed.

We can adequately listen by intentionally shifting our focus, both internally (mind) and externally (body language) toward the person speaking.

Empathy

It is important to note here that there is a difference between empathy and sympathy. Empathy is a large concept to unpack but essentially at its core, empathy simply means “putting yourself in someone else’s shoes.” Now we know this does not mean that you physically trade shoes with the person who is venting. Rather, you imagine yourself in their situation. What would you feel like experiencing what they are experiencing? Empathy allows us to connect with the person where s/he is emotionally. All too many times, we bypass empathy and try to place a “silver-lining” over their situation. We say things like, “it’s not that bad,” “it could be worse,” or “at least it’s not as bad as this.” These phrases show a lack of empathy and inadequate listening. Instead, use phrases like “I am sad that happened to you,” “I wish that I could change this,” or “I’m here for you.” Sympathy is focused on feeling sorry for the person.

Empathy validates a person’s feelings, sympathy does not acknowledge the feelings involved. Empathy is active, sympathy is passive.

Safe Environment

This concept should not be confused with the recent media exploitations of “safe spaces.” A safe environment is a place where individuals can feel free to share their feelings openly without judgment and with confidentiality (Bryant, 2009) . A safe environment also includes a deployment of empathy and active listening skills. It is important to state that when a person vents, s/he may say things that they do not necessarily mean in the moment. Part of venting includes a reduced filter in the things one says. As the listeners, we can help the one venting to process verbally what is occurring and we can actively listen.

Conclusion

As a communicator, both in listening and speaking, it is important to understand the concepts presented in this article. Many of us work jobs that require an extensive amount of communication daily. In the moments when we are hearing the vent, it is important to use active listening skills and empathy in an environment that is safe and free of judgment. This conveys concern and care.

References:
Bodie, G.D., Vickery, A.J., Cannava, K., & Jones, S.M. (2015). The role of “active listening” in informal helping conversations: Impact on perceptions of listener helpfulness, sensitivity, and supportiveness and discloser emotional improvement. Western Journal of Communication, 79(2), 151-173.
Bryant, L. (2009). The art of active listening. Practice Nurse, 37(6), 49-52.
Egan, G. (2007). The skilled helper: A problem-management and opportunity development approach to helping. Belmont, CA: Thomas Higher Education.
Goldsmith, D.J. (2004). Communication social support. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press.
Hackney, H.L., & Cormier, S. (2013). The professional counselor: A process guide to helping. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc.
Rimé, B. (2009). Emotion elicits the social sharing of emotion: Theory and empirical review. Emotion Review, 1, 60-65.

Effective – successful in producing a desired or intended result.

1. Effective conclusions are a surprise.

You don’t announce your conclusion, but instead, you deliver it about a sentence or two before people expect you to. Try to avoid saying things like, “lastly,” “finally” and “in conclusion.” Also, be careful with any nonverbal communication that gives away your intention to end such as closing your bible, putting away your notes, powering off your tablet and always stepping off the stage or taking off your glasses. Communicating too early that you are about to conclude may tempt people to stop listening before you stop talking. Therefore, let your conclusion come as a surprise.

2. Effective conclusions are brief.

Aim for no more than two to four minutes. Remember the purpose of a conclusion is to drive home what the audience should do as a result of having heard the sermon. You do not want to ramble, and you do not want to introduce new material (we often do this if we suddenly remember something we forgot to say earlier in the sermon). Instead, make the conclusion brief and to the point.

3. Effective Conclusions are direct.

This characteristic gets to the heart of what a conclusion should do. One of the questions I ask my preaching classes after we listen to a student’s sermon is “what did that sermon want me to do?” If the class cannot answer that, it is because the conclusion was too vague. To put it another way, if we cannot answer that question, it is because the preacher did not answer the question when preparing the sermon. There should never be any doubts in people’s minds about what the message is calling them to do.

In fact, if you follow the best practices of working with a creative team or reviewing recordings of your sermon to improve, it will be a good idea to get into the habit of listening for the takeaway. What is the sermon requiring? What is the sermon demanding? What will that take away look like in real life? The conclusion should be direct.

Here are some possible conclusions you could employ:

You can summarize the sermon.

This approach is helpful when your points have been giving application throughout the message. In your conclusion, you simply remind them of the application points by summarizing it. For example, if you had an outline over a prayer that said, “1. We are not to Worry Âé¶čŽ«Ăœ Anything, 2. We are to Pray Âé¶čŽ«Ăœ Everything, and 3. We can then experience the Peace of Christ”; your conclusion will summarize those points. This type of conclusion is sometimes referred to as a “recap” because you are recapping the application. Also, if you previewed your points in the sermon, it would be a good idea to review them in conclusion.

You can choose to give specific application.

Particularly, this is the case when much of the sermon is providing instruction about a topic or a doctrine. In other words, this would be used if you are explaining and proving ideas in the body of the sermon. It is in the conclusion where you must have specific takeaways and concrete calls to action. If you have been preaching a parable or some other kind of inductive sermon, then the conclusion is where most of the application will occur.

You can anticipate objections.

Anticipating objections is effective both in the application and the conclusion, especially if the call to action is developed in the conclusion. In this type of conclusion, you identify what objections your audience could have about what you have been preaching. What might they find hard to believe? What are some of the competing priorities they possess that could make it difficult for them to act on what the sermon is directing them to do?

You can return to the original idea in your sermon’s introduction.

If there’s a story in your sermon introduction, you could finish it here (that is really important to do if your introductory story was a cliffhanger). The same is true with any problem, question, or need you raised in the introduction. Now that your sermon has addressed the idea you began the sermon with, you can bring it full circle in your conclusion.

You can vision cast.

This is where you paint a picture for the congregation of what it would be like if this message were lived out in the church, in their homes, their places of employment or communities.

I once heard a speech teacher tell her students that the last sentence of a presentation is the most important. Well, let’s be sure the last part of our sermons are effective because we planned them to be surprising, brief and direct.

As a result of the data tsunami, the way we receive and distribute information has changed. The act of skimming through information and scrolling—whether that means glancing through our Facebook, Twitter, or Tumblr feeds—is our response to help us navigate the waves. We also communicate with each other on personal levels through brief snippets of information, such as updating statuses and Tweeting our hearts out in 140 characters or retweeting a meme or status that we agree with. The interesting thing to note is that while technology has evolved, this form of abbreviated communication is not novel.

Now imagine if King Solomon had a Twitter account

One of his Tweets might read “Wife #55 is nagging again. Sounds like a leaky roof. #makeitstop.” Even though Solomon didn’t have a social media account to share his thoughts or update his status, his words reflect the longstanding and near-global tradition of the use of maxims, proverbs, and aphorisms to convey deep truths in bite-sized pieces. Sayings such as “You catch more flies with honey than vinegar” and “Worrying is like rocking in a rocking chair: it gives you something to do, but you don’t get anywhere” are modern proverbs. Proverbs with their short bursts of wisdom rely on a common poetic characteristic: compression.

Compression is simply saying the strongest message with the fewest words needed. The writers of the biblical Proverbs use compression as they utilize various types of figurative languages, such as imagery, metaphor, and simile, to make their statements tight and condensed. These elements work together within their cultural contexts to portray wisdom in strong, short bursts of words that are easy to remember and that teach a lesson or reflect on a wise practice.

The book of Proverbs is a book of biblical poetry.

Linguistically speaking, poetry integrates more lexical words than structure words. Structure words are words that don’t have inherent meaning or connotations of themselves, but they serve to provide a framework for context. They function syntactically and grammatically. Among these types of words are articles (such as “a,” “an,” and “the”), prepositions (such as “of,” “to,” and “by”), and “being” verbs (such as “am,” “are,” “is,” “was,” and “were”). Lexical words, on the other hand, are words with dictionary meanings, such as objects, places, people, things, actions, or characteristics; they are nouns and verbs, adjectives and adverbs. They conjure up distinct images in readers’ minds. Compression relies on more lexical words and only necessary structure words, and this is one major way that poetry differs from prose.

Because lexical words take center stage in poetry, the imagery becomes the preferred tool for the poet. These are the words that engage readers’ senses: seeing (visual imagery), hearing (auditory imagery), smelling (olfactory imagery), tasting (gustatory imagery), and feeling (tactile imagery). These images are made even stronger when they are partnered together in comparison, such as the case when simile and metaphor are used.

Simile and metaphor are woven throughout Proverbs. The basic difference between the two is that a simile is a comparison that uses the words “like” or “as” (“the sun was like a giant wheel”), whereas a metaphor omits those to drive home a direct substitutive comparison (“the sun was a giant wheel”). Both are dependent on correlative images. These images are strong because they are common and have meaning for the society.

One recurring thematic image is trees, both healthy and unhealthy. Trees were common sights in the agricultural society of the Middle East. Proverbs makes use of these often. Proverbs 11:28 (ESV) provides a didactic image: “Whoever trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will flourish like a green leaf.” Proverbs 13:12b speaks to the notion that “
a desire fulfilled is a tree of life.” Healthy trees meant prosperous times; poisoned or unhealthy trees meant failed crops and empty hands.

Another image is the effect of spoken words. Proverbs 12:14 speaks to fruit as a substitute image for words: “From the fruit of his mouth a man is satisfied with good, and the work of a man’s hand comes back to him,” whereas Proverbs 12:18a uses a dangerous image to warn of consequence: “There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts
” The distinct associations of violent damage caused by stabbing
well, I don’t think the author could get much clearer on his intended meaning. Proverbs 15:4 warns the reader to watch the power of his or her words: “A gentle tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness in it breaks the spirit.”

Biblical similes and metaphors between recurrent, familiar images, carried not only the power and impact desired, but they did so in a way that was memorable.

Crowns and their associations with authority and power are also recurring images. Proverbs 14:24 reads, “The crown of the wise is their wealth, but the folly of fools brings folly.” In Proverbs 12:4, we see a metaphor and a simile to describe two different kinds of women: “An excellent wife is the crown of her husband, but she who brings shame is like rottenness in his bones.” Clearly, a man would want crowns and glory over rotten bones! The metaphor and simile work to paint distinct, dramatic ideas, more so than just the statement: “An excellent wife brings her husband glory, but one who brings shame is terrible for his health.”

Because water was scarce, it is also mentioned in multiple instances. Proverbs 13:14 reads, “The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life, that one may turn away from the snares of death,” and Proverbs 14:27 reads, “The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, that one may turn away from the snares of death.” Water good. Death bad.

Sometimes a simile or metaphor is also effective because of the even more distinct socio-religious or socio-cultural attitudes toward the images themselves. For example, Proverbs 11:22 (ESV) reads, “Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout is a beautiful woman without discretion.” In Jewish culture, pigs are considered ceremonially unclean, so a ring of gold (normally valuable), immediately loses its value and use in that case. The use of the simile for a strict comparison of a beautiful woman to this object in this context serves to underline the importance of wisdom and discretion.

So while Solomon may not have had the tech or the Twitter account, he still got his message across with the intentional usage of distinct types of words. The biblical text serves to testify to the power of brevity and concentrated language. Biblical similes and metaphors between recurrent, familiar images, carried not only the power and impact desired, but they did so in a way that was memorable. Like our social media posts’ typical length, they allowed readers the opportunity to grab onto and retain important information. So the next time you Tweet a status or come across a maxim, consider that sometimes, less is more.

So, why do so many managers have a hard time mastering one of the most essential responsibilities of leadership?

Many managers are fixers – hardwired to solve problems. Once solved, they are on to the next problem, often speeding past the chance to praise those who labored toward victory. Unsurprisingly, if you look at nearly any top-10 list of reasons your top talent leaves, it includes variations of not feeling valued, poor communication, lack of recognition or lack of trust or autonomy.

The Chemistry of Praise

Mark Twain famously said, “I can live for two months on a good compliment.”

Everyone, including spouses, extended family, colleagues, customers, and even your boss, loves to get sincere recognition and praise for a job well done. When we hear something we like, is released in our brains — the chemical associated with feelings of joy, pride, satisfaction and well-being. When you praise someone sincerely, it leads to a physiological desire to recreate that feeling. In the simplest terms, that is why praising someone cements good behavior and work habits. A side benefit is that, when you learn to enjoy praising others, you experience that same chemical reward. By doing something good for someone else, you also feel good. Sincere praise also helps you develop good work relationships with colleagues. Consistent with the law of reciprocity , others are often willing to return that feeling of goodwill by lending a hand or sharing useful information.

Now that we understand the problem and the benefit, what are some practical steps to enhance the skill of praising others?

1 — Give praise often.

The best way to avoid feeling uncomfortable praising someone is to do it until it feels natural. The aim is to build a healthy habit of praise. Regardless of personality type, you can learn to observe those around you and actively look for praise-worthy things.

2 — Give praise immediately.

It is important to praise others as they earn it. Resist the urge to wait until the “time is right.” The moment of achievement is always the right time, because it helps the recipient quickly assess the things that are important to you. Immediate praise also feels most authentic.

3 — Praise publicly. Correct privately.

If you are not comfortable receiving praise publicly, your natural inclination may be to reserve praise for private settings or one-on-one. But, public praise is most often most impactful.

If you are in a meeting, praise the person while others are present. If you are interacting through email, copy relevant peers and superiors when you send a praise email.

4 — Be sincere.

Anyone who has a seen a show like American Idol understands the weight of a compliment from Simon Cowell versus that of Paula Abdul.

Heaping praise on the mundane or manufacturing praise can be counterproductive. It means more to the recipient when they recognize it as praiseworthy. Learn to watch for key moments. Make a note. Then, look for an opportunity to express it.

5 — Be specific.

Not all compliments are created equal. Saying “Nice job!” or “Well done!” is better than no praise at all. But, being specific adds impact. For instance, “Wow. Your writing in that report was great. You have such a way with words. I could learn so much from you.”

6 — Check your but.

Have you ever been the recipient of a message along the lines of, “Thank you for responding so quickly, but
”

If you have ever studied business writing, you likely learned the sandwich method for delivering bad news — Good or Neutral News / Bad News / Good or Neutral News. Many managers misapply this method to delivering praise and critique to others.

Praise should not be the buffer to ease a request for more work or to soften a critique. Let your praise stand alone. When praise is followed by criticism, it nullifies the previously mentioned dopamine pleasure response and counteracts your intended outcome.

7 — Praise through action.

Did a subordinate demonstrate the ability to powerfully communicate? Trust them to represent you at an upcoming meeting. Did they show above-and-beyond attention to detail? Give them the opportunity to lead a key project. Words plus action magnify the impact.

8 — Spread your praise.

Your highest-performing team members are likely oft-praised. (Perhaps that is why they are your highest performing.) Learn to look for praiseworthy moments among those who receive less recognition. That praise may be the difference between them flourishing or floundering.

9 — Praise those who you don’t naturally get along with.

A tenuous relationship can wreak havoc when a project overlaps with someone you don’t naturally get along with. Praise can go a long way. Your responsibility is to train yourself to look for the good in others despite your underlying bias.

10 — Personalize your process.

Find what works for you. I keep a stack of thank you notes and envelopes on my desk where I see them every day. They serve as a reminder to watch for praiseworthy moments.

If someone is outside of my normal circle and I know I won’t see them soon, I write a handwritten note and drop it in the mail for immediacy. Sometimes I see the cards and decide instead to send an email and copy the person’s supervisor(s). Sometimes I see the cards during my morning meetings and remember that I observed a member of my team who was deserving of praise and I need to verbalize that thought.

Find something that suits your style and personality.

Take a moment to consider how these tips may apply to other relationships like friends and family.