I recently wrote about the results of a leadership-style assessment I took on BuildingChurchLeaders.com, and my ability to finally accept the idea that I can be effective and influential as a leader whose primary gifting lies in the areas of encouragement and motivation. I do not have to be primarily gifted in the areas popularized by leadership circles and books, such as vision-casting, to succeed in the ways God has called me, and this realization was quite liberating for me.

Now that a few weeks have passed, I've had a chance to think a bit more about what this gifting means. A sobering thought has emerged.

All leaders, whether they realize it or not, are motivating or demotivating those around them. It simply depends on the ways we as leaders conduct ourselves. Either we use encouragement in authentic and effective ways to spur motivation, or we risk catalyzing the opposite effect. There is no in-between.

So with that said, here are six ways I believe you can effectively energize people, ...