The Encouragement Manifesto
When we ran a small business, there were values at its heart
It was owner-run; just the two of us. So the way we worked, who we were, was never written down as such. It was in our hearts. We are pretty sure it was clear to our customers who we were and what was important to us. We worked hard to be consistent, to celebrate others and to stay positive and optimistic. Our business was built on the successes and strengths of others; kindness and generosity were keystones. We only talked about value, not price; slowly, gently, we built a community. We gathered up and shared inspiring stories and we sought to be a pebble in the pond, creating ripples.
These values are now at the heart of The Encouragement Manifesto
We asked some folk we trust, who live and work in the way we do, to interpret the values in their own words
Just ‘be’
Whilst the global pandemic has been a time of isolation, uncertainty and difficulties, Sara Catterall has found the strength to refocus on self-improvement through acceptance; by ‘just being’
Fitting Out as Fitting In
We love the way Siobhan Sheridan draws on her own experience to commit to celebrating those whose differences make them unique and valuable to our new world of work
Thank You, Nan
A beautiful gentle celebration by Nic Shayler of the influence her Nan had on the good person she grew up to be. A loving ‘thank you’ letter
Credit Others for your Success
James Taplin explores how crediting others for your success gives you permission to seek out people and ideas, and to build new solutions out of the rich materials on offer
A Better Kind of Thank You
Andy Foster pens heartfelt ‘thank yous’ to the people who have, unbeknownst to them, inspired him to overcome his struggles with writing