As a leader, you have great power to lift people up. Mother Teresa said, “Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are endless.” I’m sure Lewis’s encouraging words echoed in Tolkien’s ears as he labored to write his fantasy masterpiece. As a leader, you can have a similarly positive impact on others. People enjoy affirmation from a peer. But they really value it from their leader. The words “I’m glad you work with me; you add incredible value to the team” mean a lot coming from someone who has the best interest of the team, department, or organization at heart.
