What sunshine is to flowers, smiles are to humanity. These are but trifles, to be sure; but, scattered along lifes pathway, the good they do is inconceivable.

Outstanding leaders go out of their way to boost the self-esteem of their personnel. If people believe in themselves, it's amazing what they can accomplish.

But friendship is precious, not only in shade, but in the sunshine of life; and thanks to a benevolent arrangement of things, the greater part of life is sunshine

What should young people do with their lives today? Many things, obviously. But the most daring thing is to create stable communities in which the terrible disease of loneliness can be cured.

I'm a great believer that any tool that enhances communication has profound effects in terms of how people can learn from each other, and how they can achieve the kind of freedoms that they're interested in.

It's often just enough to be with someone. I don't need to touch them. Not even talk. A feeling passes between you both. You're not alone.

At some point in our lives, we all need someone who believes in us more than we believe in ourselves.

All of us need Aarons and Hurs in our lives. We need people who are strong when we're weak. We need people who are full of faith when we're running on empty. We need people who will fight for us on their knees. We all need a prayer circle!

Instead of exclusively focusing on what's wrong and trying to fix it, you identify what's right and try to replicate it. Appreciative inquiry is playing to people's strengths. It's catching people doing things right. It's celebrating what you want to see more of. And it's bragging about people behind their backs.

If you don't have a dream, get around people who do. You might just catch what they have.

There is a theory in organizational development called appreciative inquiry that I subscribe to as a leader and a parent. Instead of exclusively focusing on what's wrong and trying to fix it, you identify what's right and try to replicate it. Appreciative inquiry is playing to people's strengths. It's catching people doing things right. It's celebrating what you want to see more of. And it's bragging about people behind their backs.

Never underestimate the power of one well-timed compliment. It has the power to change a person's entire perspective on life.