Presented by: The 5 Degrees of E’s!

Empowerment Encouragement Enthusiasm Embracing Energy The 5 Degrees of E’s!

Purpose: Explore the attitudes and approaches we can adopt that will give our team their best opportunity to shine To enjoy the rewards of their spirit of accomplishment The 5 Degrees of E’s!

1 st Degree of E: EMPOWERMENT

If a huge heart could render all that must be accomplished we could assemble our team—and go shopping! Remember, huge hearts need guidance The planning of events are far too important to leave to chance – the organization of our life shouldn’t be left to happen stance!

EMPOWERMENT We need a plan: What has been done And what still needs to be done And wondering who that lady was I asked to check on the name tags and flowers ~ and by the way – Where is she? What about the person that is your ‘everything’ in your office?

EMPOWERMENT A volunteer effort or an assigned task is only as good as we are clear Critically important is delegation People giving their time can’t be asked to mystically know what we need or want Or even try to understand us

EMPOWERMENT Clearly defined assignments lead to instant confidence Tentative steps versus a confident “go forth” stride are in direct proportion to the existence of clear instructions

EMPOWERMENT To delegate means to entrust to another, to assign responsibility or authority Feel a sense of personal responsibility and pride when presented with a task

EMPOWERMENT Delegation is truly empowering another to act on our behalf Empowering another to truly care about the results

EMPOWERMENT Clearly defined delegations of duty we empower: –Self worth –Confidence –And self-reliance

EMPOWERMENT The big picture is firmly planted How do we all fit in We must do our homework Our “master plan” is critical to the success of the team It is like a blueprint showing details such as where the light switches will be and where the important items are in the office

EMPOWERMENT Volunteers or team members must: Envision the results Have a clear sense and understanding of how their role fits in See the importance of all roles And not expected to assume anything!

EMPOWERMENT Envision then empower!

2 nd Degree of E: ENCOURAGEMENT

Hand in hand with empowerment is encouragement Affirm each volunteer or employee’s results, efforts and attitude

ENCOURAGEMENT Affirmation Every person gets to shine Every person gets to feel important Affirmation gives purpose

ENCOURAGEMENT As written by George Herbert: True praise roots and spreads Praise is that added lift in one’s spirit that is sustaining and contagious

ENCOURAGEMENT Affirmation grows: –Self-assurance –Happiness –And gratitude

ENCOURAGEMENT Encouragement can be: A voice of calm and reason in franticness An appreciated volunteer who works hard An employee that knows how much you care more than how much you know!

ENCOURAGEMENT Well-meaning, truthful praise is the best encouragement We can’t say it enough: –You’re doing great. –Thank you so much!! There is nothing like hearing how grateful an organization is

ENCOURAGEMENT Encouragement comes in the form of thoughtful suggestions In art form of writing And suggestions that leads to“Oh, I never thought of that, now I can do better”

ENCOURAGEMENT Praise and affirmation are always warranted –Thank you for showing up –Thank you for caring –Thank you for giving your day –Thank you for your service –Than you for loving me

3 rd Degree of E: ENTHUSIASM

Emerson said it, “Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm”

ENTHUSIASM We can achieve nothing great without enthusiasm Especially if we’ve grown up with an unflappable work ethic

ENTHUSIASM Enthusiasm means: To be inspired To maintain one’s grateful cheerfulness, in spite of anything that might make us grumble

ENTHUSIASM Enthusiasm is: Whistling while you work Enjoying the most humdrum of tasks Thinking about chores as a privilege or a means to our primary purpose

ENTHUSIASM A primary purpose that might be: Serving a greater purpose Leading an ethical life A decision each morning to do one’s best

ENTHUSIASM Enthusiasm is: Going above and beyond the call of duty Achieving greater and greater greatness Seeing what needs to be done

ENTHUSIASM Enthusiasm is stick-to-it-ive-ness No matter the humdrum, tedious, or time- consuming the task is

ENTHUSIASM Enthusiasm is self-perpetuating Enthusiasm is rewarded with even more enthusiasm We get back more than we can give

ENTHUSIASM Enthusiasm always offers us our best chance of being an example to others Enthusiasm is its own reward – and it is contagious I encourage you to let it take root And then, spread it as far and wide as you can!

4 th Degree of E: EMBRACING

Consider the process of thinking that allows us to assign tasks Do we pull numbers out of a hat? Do we pass out multiple choice and let the volunteer choose? It doesn’t really matter

EMBRACING Certainly embrace each person’s strengths – they come to you to help If that’s all we need to know, then the assignment is easy

EMBRACING Embracing our gifts, our talents, our inclinations and those of our employees and volunteers and putting those gifts to work for us is an important idea We can wake up every trait, talent, and attribute we all possess and put them to work. Do what you love – when this happens it is easy to step up an extra degree

EMBRACING Fully embrace who we are (and who we are not) Accepting the whole of a person; not just the pieces

EMBRACING The first benefit of a welcoming attitude: Fit the person to the position then embracing becomes empowering! Focus on the strengths – lead on the weaknesses Sometimes, we just need a ‘YOU can do this’

EMBRACING The second benefit of a welcoming attitude: The gift of surprise (“Wow! I didn’t think I’d be good at this”)

EMBRACING Mysteriously, oWe can truly find our legs and character and our reason to be while working or volunteering by reaching outside the box oBy doing different things than we might have chosen, we can often find out where our real talents lie oWhat suits us to a tea

EMBRACING This gives me, more of me This gives you, more of me This gives you, more of you! This gives our volunteers and our employees more of themselves!

5 th Degree of E: ENERGY

I run marathons I run a company I teach for University of Texas I live life to its fullest – always looking for the opportunity to step up a degree And I am a Nana to 15 grandchildren What creates your energy?

ENERGY I know what it means to step it up To push harder To stay in it longer To aim for the next bend And then the next

ENERGY Energy creates energy If I walk or run 3 miles every morning, I have infinitely more energy for my day If you do anything, whether it be a morning devotional, spiritual time, or exercise, YOU will have more energy for the day

ENERGY If you’ve done any volunteering at all, you know a certain satisfaction that few other endeavors produce Sometimes we think – do we have the time? Better leave that to those with leisure, or those who are younger, or older and retired.

ENERGY But oh my, no! It’s just the opposite The time we take away from work, family and friends to give of our time is time that actually multiplies geometrically Thinking of others charges my batteries I can do twice as much in half the time, with enthusiasm!

ENERGY Giving is its own reward; a reward which sustains and nourishes itself with daily doses of thankfulness

ENERGY Energy, like enthusiasm, is also self-perpetuating and contagious It is our second wind, our new day, our blue skies, our hopes springing eternal.

The 5 Degrees of E’s Closing: All we need to experience power and ability and follow-through of a measure quite beyond the words, is to just step everything we do up one degree. Just one degree!

The 5 Degrees of E’s Water boils at 211 degrees. It becomes steam; powerful steam, at 212 degrees. Steam ran the locomotives that built our country. As did the men and women who stepped up, one degree, everything they had of courage and grace and grit.

The 5 Degrees of E’s Think of it! If we just step up, one degree, our intent to empower every life we touch, to encourage everyone we meet, to pass on our enthusiasm, to embrace all our gifts (and others’ gifts), and to spend energy to have more energy, imagine what great things we can achieve!

The 5 Degrees of E’s So friends. Gather your volunteers, encourage your employees, motivate your family to step up one degree in everything that you do. And join me in experiencing daily doses of wonder. Daily doses of gratitude for all that you accomplish because you made the conscious decision to step on one degree!

The 5 Degrees of E’s I wish you 5 Powerful Degrees of E! It’s great sharing our time together. God’s blessings to you and yours! Written by: