A Person of Influence Has...Faith In People
“It’s easy to have faith in people who have already proved themselves. It’s much tougher to believe in people before they have proved themselves. But that is the key to motivating people to reach their potential.” ~ John Maxwell
I hope you have enjoyed our journey through John Maxwell’s book, Becoming a Person of Influence, thus far. I have received a lot of positive feedback and look forward continuing our discovery of how to positively influence the people in our homes, workplace and community.
It’s fitting that we are covering the “Faith in People” chapter this week. Many of you have someone in your life that believes in you, has faith in your decisions, actions, and person, and someone who is encouraging you to discover the fullness of the person God created you to be. When I wake up every morning, one of the first things I see is a black and white picture of the most precious and beautiful woman in my world, my wife, Valerie, and right below she wrote on the picture frame, “I Believe In You.” I can’t tell you how many times that phrase has caught me in a down moment, and immediately lifted my spirits. We all need someone like this – someone who has faith in who we are and who we are becoming. This is “birthday week” for Val! And yes, we celebrate birthdays all week long at our house! And as I read this chapter this week, I found myself being reminded of how thankful I am that she is in my life.
I have been blessed to have a few people who have faith in me in my life, both through friendship, family, and even in the workplace. This chapter discusses the incredible opportunity we have to influence others by having faith in people.
Definition of Faith in People:
- Confident belief in the truth, value, or trustworthiness of a person.
- Loyalty to a person
Scripture on Faith
"Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance." ~ 1 Corinthians 13:7 (NLT)
“Difficulties seldom defeat people; lack of faith in themselves usually does it.”
Facts about Faith in People
1. Most People Don’t Have Faith in Themselves
“Even when they see a light at the end of the tunnel, they’re convinced it’s a train”
2. Most People Don’t Have Someone Who Has Faith in Them
“For many people, even those who are closest to them don’t believe in them. They have no one on their side.”
3. Most People Can Tell When Someone Has Faith in Them
“People’s instincts are pretty good at knowing when others have faith in them. They can sense if your belief is genuine or phony. And truly having faith in someone can change their life.”
4. Most People Will Do Anything to Live Up to Your Faith in Them
“If you’ve never been one to trust people and put your faith in them, change your way of thinking and begin believing in others. Your life will quickly improve.”
“Faith is more than thinking something is true.Faith is thinking something is true to the extent that we act on it.”
How to Become a Believer in People
1. Believe in Them Before They Succeed
“Every person has seeds of greatness within, even though they may currently be dormant. But when you believe in people, you water the seeds and give them the chance to grow. Every time you put your faith in them, you’re giving life-sustaining water, warmth, food, and light. And if you continue to give encouragement through your belief in them, these people will bloom in time.”
2. Emphasize Their Strengths
“The best way to show people your faith in them and motivate them is to focus your attention on their strengths”
“Nothing splendid has ever been achieved except by those who dared that something inside them was superior to circumstances.” – Bruce Barton
3. List Their Past Successes
“Not everyone has the natural ability to recognize past successes and draw confidence from them. Some people need help. If you can show others that they have done well in the past and help them see that their past victories have paved the way for future success, they’ll be better able to move into action. Listing past successes helps others believe in themselves.”
4. Instill Confidence When They Fail
“The first time or two that they fail – and they will fail because it’s a part of life – they have two choices. They can give in or go on.”
“Never let the fear of striking out get in the way” – Babe Ruth
5. Experience Some Wins Together
When People Sense Victory...
They sacrifice to succeed.
They look for ways to win.
They become energized.
They follow the game plan.
They help other team members
When People Sense Defeat...
They give as little as possible.
They look for excuses.
They become tired.
They forsake the game plan.
They hurt others.
6. Visualize Their Future Success
“It’s been said that a person can live forty days without food, four days without water, four minutes without air, but only four seconds without hope.”
“Each time you cast a vision for others and paint a picture of their future success, you build them up, motivate them, and give them reasons to keep going.”
My 3 takeaways from this chapter:
1. Expressing and reinforcing my belief in people has the potential to change lives, families, companies, and communities.
2. Failures can be an incredible opportunity to come alongside people, help them pick their chin up, learn from the mistake, and allow it to propel them into the future.
3. There are people that you and I see every day that may not be able to name one person who believes in who they are and who they could become. What an incredible opportunity to BE THAT PERSON in someone’s life that simply says, “I believe in you.”