Are you a nice person? Are you an encourager? Do people want to be in your presence?
Are you a jerk? Do you push people away with insulting behavior and a lack of respect?
There is great power and influence in simply being a nice person. Of course you could lead by demanding and pushing out those that resist, but then you will probably end up working in a different place than the local church…right? Unfortunately, this isn’t the case—and I’ve had my fair share of “What are they thinking?” moments with supervisors and pastors I’ve worked for in the church. But when you make a decision to be a nicer person, you will open doors of opportunity to truly impact people around you!
There are probably a thousand things that could help you be nicer to those around you, but have you considered these?
- Have someone over for dinner.
- Take someone to coffee.
- Write a thank-you note.
- Send an unwarranted mobile text saying thank you.
- Smile at people.
- Stop complaining in the presence of others.
- Stop conversations that are turning negative.
- Compliment someone’s shoes.
- Give people time to answer the question, “How are you doing?”
- Be intentional about getting to know people.
- Be generous with your time.
- Open your life up for others to see.
- Make eye contact when listening to someone.
- Talk to children. Really, really talk to them.
- Introduce your spouse to new people.
- Have a firm handshake and offer your hand to strangers.
- Don’t brag about yourself.
- Wear deodorant and brush your teeth.
- Speak well of your superiors and bosses.
- Praise good things in others.
- Laugh often.
- Don’t laugh when it’s not appropriate.
- Ask forgiveness when it’s needed.
- Be quick to pray for people when they open up about a need.
- Listen well, talk less.
I can promise that if you intentionally set out to be a nicer person, it will happen. People are much more gracious than you would imagine, and there is room for bad days here and there. The power of forgiveness compliments this so well!
When we strive to be a person that is concerned for others, then we can become an influencer of people. When you influence people, you can help lead others through life change! The power to influence others may be the greatest power given to us, and it all starts with learning to NOT be a jerk!
