How Followers Feel Towards Those Who Invested In Them

Dear Leader,

We know you understand how we are feeling because we have told you. And we told you because you created the safest environment for just to do our best work every day.

There is an openness between us. This happened over time. You don’t know our whole story, but you know enough to provide help where we need it.

You have spent enough time with us to recognize when we are doing well and when our countenance drops. You are wise enough to know how to encourage us and the best ways to hold us accountable. You make us better.

We have discussed and shared our professional aspirations. You have placed us in the best spot to showcase our unique talents. You have allowed us the opportunity to give to the organization and its people our best selves.

As a result, we work harder for you than anyone else. Your investment, over time, produced loyalty giving us extra energy when needed most.

We also hope the best for you and want you to succeed in your career and life. We desire your talent to be multiplied through us and your influence to increase more so others might enjoy what you have provided.

As your follower, we are beginning to recognize day by day we are being prepared to take on greater responsibilities. Through your guidance, we are maximizing our talent.

You know where we are. We recognize your voice. When you call, we know it is important and respond readily to contribute.

We have experienced failure together. You told us it would be okay and it was. We thank you for believing in us and letting us try it our way. More than any gift you may have given, it is your trust we value most.

Most of us have our own teams now too. We provide them guidance as you taught us and we have engaged and connected with them in a manner we think you would be proud to see.

While our gifts continue to be refined we can see your influence on how our team treats others because of your example living through us. We encourage harmony among those who see things differently and find new ways to build bridges.

We each have developed our own unique voices. Not surprisingly should we ever sing together, we would harmonize naturally. One voice with different parts.

We encourage experimentation and exploration of new ways to solve old problems and we are prepared to face new ones. Just like you didn’t tell us the exact way to go, you provided each of us with a compass. We are making places where we walk better the best we can.

We remember the hard questions you asked. Especially challenging us to be generous. Most of us had to learn some hard lessons on our own. We now have our own stories to share with those we travel with. Stories of success and failure.

As we walk our path and do our best work, whether we see them or not, our leader knows where we are, and should we get lost, they know exactly where to begin the search.

With deepest thanks and admiration,

Eric

www.shepherdingheart.com