Mary Jo of the Leadership Turn blog makes an excellent point of the power of praise and encouragement on the individual performances of those you may lead. She points out that a good leader doesn’t just provide encouragement to someone because they deserve it. She goes on to talk about the fact that good leadership provides a continual stream of encouragement by identifying the good in those they lead and building on that.

Some of you may not feel that you aren’t a leader at all and in fact may not lead any group of people, large of small. However, the point of leadership always starts with an audience of one. You are a leader of one...YOURSELF. We all lead ourselves long before we ever find ourselves leading others.

How would you describe your leadership of self? What would happen if you applied Mary Jo’s point of leadership to yourself? If you spent time focusing on your positive characteristics and on what you do really well and encouraging yourself along those lines, do you think you would see a marked improvement in your overall success, motivation and positive attitude?

I would the bet the farm that you would! Today, why don’t you document what is right and good and about yourself and what you do and begin to encourage yourself along those lines. Talk about what you do well and what is going well in your life. Build your success and motivation on the positive things you are moving towards and not on negative things you are moving away from.

Remember: You are only one thought away from change, one idea away from breakthrough!