I Need Affirmation for What I Do
I can live for two months on a good compliment.
Mark Twain
Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him.
You, O Lord, are loving. Surely you will reward each person according to what he has done.
David (Psalm 62:5, 12)
Several years ago Dr. Frederick Herzberg, professor of management at the University of Utah, set out to discover what factors encouraged employees and what factors discouraged them. As he studied workers in a variety of settings, he found that despite the diverse situations, specific factors emerged clearly as the top encouragers. In the Harvard Business Review, he listed them.
The top encourager Dr. Herzberg discovered: Achievement.
The second greatest encourager: Recognition.1
Doing something well — and then being recognized for it — there is no greater motivator. The sweetness of heaven will be, in part, hearing the words of the one for whom we have worked say, "Well done, good and faithful servant!" Yet these top two human energizers — achievement and recognition — come rarely for some pastors. "There are long stretches when I don't hear anything such as 'We really do understand what you're doing; we appreciate it,'" says a large-church pastor. "In the middle of those long dry spells, it can be discouraging. Like a radio deejay, I wonder, Is anybody out there? Is anybody really listening?"
No News Is Bad News
When feedback does come, whether positive or negative, it's often in the form of vague and general impressions — the least helpful kind. How are you supposed to change when you hear "We're just not being fed" (whatever that means) or even "That sermon touched me, Pastor"? No specific weaknesses have been identified to work on, no specific strengths to build on. The comments leave you with a ...
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