The antithesis of this statement is when you’re down, you’re down. Being down usually means a level of discouragement. What is it that brings discouragement to leadership?

Failure? Inability? People?

Discouragement causes us to lose confidence and enthusiasm. We can work to discourage others by our words and our actions. We can also allow others to discourage us in our efforts to reach the goal(s) before us.

So, how do we prevent discouragement?

1) Focus on higher priorities and a greater cause.
2) Work to create confidence and enthusiasm in others.
3) Develop a work ethic of diligence and integrity.
4) Determine to do “what” is right and not just “be” right.
5) Remember we are going to make mistakes. Deal with them properly and move ahead.

Discouragement is really a state of mind we allow or choose to accept. Following a few simple ideas can help us encourage others and bring a greater level of encouragement to our leadership. Then we will see more times when we are up rather than down.