Winning Words 8/17/11
“I praise loudly. I blame softly.” (Catherine the Great) An ad once showed a lady smoking a cigarette and read, “You’ve come a long way, baby.” In the 18th Century “a lady” successfully ruled the Russian Empire. Perhaps one of the reasons she was called, “Great,” is that she ruled with common sense Read again the words for today. Better yet, try to put them into practice as you deal with people. ;-) Jack

FROM JC IN FLORIDA: I'm writing to request that you add my name to your mailing list for "Jack's Winning Words." Reading The Augustana Heritage Newsletter article about your creative and inspiring ministry, reminded me of my own fascination with positive quotes. Throughout my 30-year career as an administrator with The Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society, I made it a practice to share a "Thought for the Week" (AKA "Vitamins for the Soul") with my department heads. In retrospect, I believe this simple, repeated act not only challenged us all to "look up," but also served as the foundation for my own personal mission statement -viz. To create environments of hope, where people are valued, embraced by God's love, and empowered to live life fully! I look forward to hearing from you!////FROM JACK: There's always room for one more on the Winning Words' list. Welcome!

FROM JS IN MICHIGAN: I read her biography....She is called "Great" because she successfully ran over people and made herself all powerful....the same reason for calling so many ruling people "Great"////FROM JACK: Thanks for your response. You are GREAT! I praise loudly.

FROM TAMPA SHIRL: Those are definitely very good words to live by and to encourage everyone to do his/her best in life. Thanks for the thought provoking words every day.////FROM JACK: "Provoke" is an interesting word, isn't it? "To incite to action." Praise and blame are "action" words.

FROM DAZ IN COLORADO: Good advice.////FROM JACK: "Advice" is offered. What to do about it is up to the one who receives it. You remember that from the car business, don't you?////MORE FROM DAZ: It seemed to me that you've had a higher quality set of advice recently or at least I thought so.////FROM JACK: My Winning Words seems to evolve. I try not to get stuck in a rut. It was the same way with preaching. I try to be relevant.////MORE DAZ: Relevant is the right word. The ww did seem more relevant to me ie my situation recently. Helpful is a word for it too.

FROM SH IN MICHIGAN: I grew up in a home where my parents didn't want to praise their kids very much, afraid we would all get swelled heads. Consequently, I praised my daughter frequently but still she is now taking a Dale Carnegie enrichment class at her work and hoping to get more confidence and a better self-identity. I still think she's a great kid and suspect my parents thought that about us too. There must be something more going on than the actual praising or blaming. Something bigger. Just saying.////FROM JACK: We were all nurtured in different nests, but, somehow, the "parent-birds" know what their little ones need.

FROM PLAIN FOLKS CHESTER: Virginia Slims was a masterful campaign. It "made" the brand almost overnight. Probably because it rode the tide of the "lib" movement. Granted, this response doesn't address the Catherine side of WW, but she was a great communicator also.////FROM JACK: Communication is usually the secret of success. Teddy Roosevelt was a communicator when he said that our country should "speak softly, but carry a big stick." BTW, he was quoting an African Proverb.

FROM BLAZING OAKS: It WAS extraordinary for a woman to rule in the 1700's. I suspect she had to be at least a bit ruthless to maintain her power of "greatness". George Orwell opined "Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely." Certainly true of some subsequent Russian Top dogs! But the idea presented of praise and criticism, certainly does hold true. "Nothing improves a child's hearing, like praise" is a slogan we 50&60's parents held, and it is true of adults as well. Our parents weren't lavish with praise, but we knew we were loved! Then it became much more in vogue to EXPRESS praise and admiration to your children, which we did. They weren't TOO spoiled...!////FROM JACK: Catherine didn't always practice what she preached, so I've been told. BTW, because you were a twin, was praise/blame sometimes given to the wrong person?