To accept people is to be for them. It is to recognize that it is a very good thing that these people are alive, and to long for the best for them. It does not, of course, mean to approve of everything they do. It means to continue to want what is best for their souls no matter what they do.

And if a minister be obliged to consider the ways, light, knowledge, and walking of his flock, in his preaching unto them, that what he teacheth may be suited unto their edification, he is no less bound unto the same consideration in his prayers also with them and for them, if he intend to pray unto their use and profit.

I remain convinced to this day that compassion like that—sincerely caring for your players and maintaining an active interest in their lives, concerns, and motivations—is one of the most important qualities a coach can have.

Go Out of Your Way to Praise Those "Quiet" Performers Who Make Things Happen.

Make friendship a fine art.

There is also the professional mentor, a person whose success in his or her career can be a source of practical wisdom and inspiration. This success might be mea sured in material gain or far-reaching influence, or in lives touched and relationships fostered. These mentors can offer a model for good business, ethical practices, and effective work habits, and they often provide the motivation we need to seize whatever opportunities come our way.

Commend, Don't Criticize

Ultimately, I believe that's what leadership is all about: helping others to achieve their own greatness by helping the organization to succeed.

Engel's biopsychosocial model proposed that psychological and social factors could either protect a person from illness or increase his or her susceptibility to it. Such factors include a person's beliefs and attitudes, how supported and loved a person feels by family and friends, the psychological and environmental stresses to which one is exposed, and personal health behaviors.

In the church we have to deliberately let ourselves be transparent and accountable to others. We're a family.

Family and friendships are two of the greatest facilitators of happiness.

Friendship improves happiness and abates misery by doubling our joy and dividing our grief.