CONTAGIOUS BELIEF: 7 Ways to Pass It to Your Team

'Your dad makes the people around him believe.' A colleague of mine recently told my kids that. Honestly, I've heard the comment often. Belief is powerful. I've read about it extensively, been published on it, and grew up under a father who was an expert in it.?

So here are seven ways I believe you can make belief contagious.?

SAY 'I BELIEVE IN YOU'? Do you know what can be true if you take the time to say it? I raised my children always to say, ‘I love you’ when they hang up the phone with their parents. Why? Because there is power in saying things out loud. Dr. Jimmy Scroggins told me that 'speak it into existence' is a legitimate leadership strategy. Speak belief into existence by telling people that you believe in them.

SHOW UP IN A GOOD MOOD My father has been leading schools for 47 years. He goes to school every morning in a good mood on purpose. He understands that leaders are the weather. And, if a leader believes, why would there be bad weather?

LIKE THE PEOPLE ON YOUR TEAM People are smart; they know when they are liked, tolerated, or disliked. Why would they believe in a leader or what a leader believes in if they sense the leader doesn't like them? Students don't learn from teachers who don't like them, athletes don't play hard for coaches who don't like them, and belief is not contagious when people feel the leader doesn't like them. Ignore the annoying traits of your team, confront the toxic characteristics, and focus on the redeeming qualities.

REMIND PEOPLE ABOUT PURPOSE Patrick Lencioni calls leaders CROs - chief reminding officers. The small, daily grind of work makes sense when constantly reminded of the purpose. It becomes possible to believe that your work matters. And if a leader believes, why wouldn't they always remind people?

BE REALLY PREPARED Coach Bobby Knight once quipped everyone wants to win, but few want to prepare to win. Do you know what is a catalyst for preparation? Belief. Do you know what makes people question belief? A leader who isn't willing to be prepared.

USE THEIR IDEAS When coaching varsity basketball, I habitually let my players choose the play in a game-winning situation. It always shocked them for a moment that I would let them select the play. Why wouldn't I use their idea if I believed in them? Ask people for their ideas and use them.

RECOGNIZE CONTRIBUTIONS SPECIFICALLY The book of Nehemiah in the Bible is a great leadership study. Nehemiah led the rebuilding of a wall around an entire city in only 52 days. That's mind-boggling. Afterward, he called people out and credited them for their contribution. Celebrate the contribution of people. Use their name and describe what they did. Your team might also rebuild a wall around a city in 52 days.

HERE'S A SUMMARY OF ACTIONS YOU CAN TAKE TO MAKE BELIEF CONTAGIOUS

1 - Say 'I believe in you'

2 - Show up in a good mood

3 - Like the people on your team

4 - Remind people about the purpose

5 - Be really prepared

6 - Use their ideas

7 - Recognize their contributions.

‘I don’t think I’m an overachiever, but I do think I’m an over believer.’ - Dabo Sweeney, 2x national champion college football coach

Keep on, keepin’ on, friends!