The Leading Deacon- Summer April Leading Deacon | Page 6

        Courage. Encourage. Two words,      When leaders commend individuals for
same origin: Heart. You gotta have heart. achieving the values or goals of the
Miles and miles and miles of it. There's no organization, they give them courage,
bravery or boldness without heart. There's inspiring them to experience their own
no spirit or support without heart. There's ability to deliver-even when the pressure
no sacrifice or soul without heart. Nothing is on. When we recognize women and
great ever gets done without heart. You men for their contributions we expand
gotta have heart. their awareness of their value to the
          And at the heart of leadership is organization and to their co-workers,
caring. Without caring, leadership has no imparting a sense of connectedness that,
purpose. And without showing others that being social animals, all humans seek.
you care and what you care about, other While we may all be connected, leaders
people won't care about what you say or make sure that we're in touch.
what you know. As a relationship,
leadership requires a connection Excerpted from Encouraging the Heart: A
between leaders and their constituents Leader's Guide to Rewarding and
over matters, in the simplest sense, of the Recognizing Others Copyright © 2003 by
heart. It is personal an d it is James M. Kouzes and Barry Z. Posner.
interpersonal. Published by Jossey-Bass, A Wiley Imprint.
            In creating social capital leaders All Rights Reserved.
encourage the heart so that people will
want to be with and for one another.