What happens when encouragement becomes a leadership capability, not just a nice thing to do? According to Helen Gibson MBE, encouragement is not soft or superficial, it is where we get our courage from.
Many leaders and ambitious professionals are navigating what Helen calls ‘the porridge (oatmeal) of life’, those thick, heavy moments where progress feels slow, energy is low, you’re losing momentum, and the way forward is not always clear. In complex organisations and uncertain times, this can show up as pressure, decision fatigue, or simply feeling stuck.
This is when encouragement is needed, as something we can practise, notice, capture and offer to others, not just receive.
In this conversation with Helen Gibson MBE, award-winning global entrepreneur, TEDx speaker, coach, international business leadership expert and author of ‘Go for Goosebumps’, we explore how encouragement can help individuals, teams and organisations move forward through difficult moments.
Helen’s leadership experience spans complex transformation programmes for governments around the world, including counter-terrorism, corruption, cybercrime, health crises and justice reform. As the former CEO of her family business, she led values-driven frontline change across nearly 30 countries for clients including the UK Government, the NHS, the EU and the United Nations. Recognised with an MBE for services to international trade, Helen brings deep experience in resilience, international business, women in leadership and meaningful change.
What you will learn in this episode:
- Why encouragement matters in leadership, especially now
- How experiencing goosebumps (shivers of excitement) can signal momentum
- What happens when we get stuck in the ‘porridge (oatmeal) of life’
- Her traffic light model to help you know where to move forward
- Showing people you care before trying to prove what you know
- How stories and legacy questions help people reconnect with what matters
- What to do if you have no time for the perfect pause
- ‘Victories folders’ to help build your evidence for confidence
- How leaders can best encourage themselves and others
Where are you currently walking through ‘the porridge of life’?
What signs of encouragement might you be missing?
How could you encourage someone else this week?
Resources:
- Connect with Helen Gibson on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/helengibsonmbe
- Visit Helen Gibson’s website: https://www.helengibsonmbe.com
- Find Helen Gibson’s book ‘Go for Goosebumps!’: https://www.waterstones.com/book/go-for-goosebumps/helen-gibson/9781806340316
- Listen to Helen Gibson’s TEDx talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WtbMDM33q2s
- Find out more about Victoria’s strategic communication programmes: https://culturecuppa.com/individuals /
- Buy Victoria’s book, Become a Global Leader: https://culturecuppa.com/book/
- Follow Victoria on LinkedIn for more strategies, ideas and inspiration: https://www.linkedin.com/in/victoria-rennoldson
Read this Episode’s Blog post here:
- Why Encouragement is a Leadership Capability: https://culturecuppa.com/why-encouragement-is-a-leadership-capability/
