You Can Always Be a Barnabas

There was a guy named Barnabas in the Bible who didn’t get all the press. He wasn’t about taking selfies. He didn’t get involved in all the gossip. Instead, he lifted others.

His given name was Joseph. The people around him renamed him Barnabas, which means “son of encouragement.” He sold land and put the money at others’ feet. When the early disciples were afraid of Saul (Paul) because he had been persecuting Christians, Barnabas vouched for him. His encouragement was so consistent that they renamed him for it.

After 35 years as a creative director and strategist, building and leading teams, I am convinced that being an encourager is one of the rarest and most useful skills in business. As I grew my career, I saw plenty of people within agencies actively tearing down those around them to gain a toehold on the corporate ladder. At some agencies, management tacitly approved the behavior: bad actors were promoted, and decent humans were pushed out.

That creates a culture where people are broken at work, not energized to do their best thinking and solve big problems. Encouraging others not only lifts the spirits of the person receiving the praise; it also lifts you and those who see or hear the good news.

You can choose to be the difference. Be the encourager.

• Stop the gossip.

• Applaud those around you who are working hard to make a difference. I always encourage executives to find people guilty of doing things the right way, instead of seeking out those doing it badly.

• Be happy for others when they win and let them know you support them.

• Importantly, encourage others without expecting anything in return.
  

Be a Barnabas.