5. Anybody who helps somebody influences a lot of bodies. What you give to one person overflows into the lives of all the people that person impacts. The nature of influence is to multiply.

How do you identify someone who needs encouragement? That person is breathing. TRUETT CATHEY

If you want to succeed at Level 4, you need to become an investor in people. This means adding value but also expecting to see a return on your investment—not in personal gain but in impact.

Mother Teresa said, "Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier.

You have to look at the person's gifts, temperament, passions, successes, joys, and opportunities. And once you find that seed, you need to fertilize it with encouragement and water it with opportunity. If you do, the person will blossom before your eyes.

Am I adding value to people?

Connect emotionally through facial expressions, laughter, and tears.

UCLA basketball coach John Wooden told players who scored to give a smile, wink, or nod to the player who gave them a good pass. "What if he's not looking?" asked a team member. Wooden replied, "I guarantee he'll look." Everyone values encouragement and looks for it.

People like people who like them.

It's been said that when one of Wooden's players asked, "Coach, what happens if I point to the player who gave me the assist and he isn't watching?" Coach Wooden replied, "He will always be watching." People desire validation and encouragement. It's human nature.

If you want to become a better leader, let go of control and start fostering cooperation. Good leaders stop bossing people around and start encouraging them. That is the secret to being a people-oriented leader, because much of leadership is encouragement.

Make it your job to put other people on top today.