Does anything make you feel as good as when you get a public compliment from your spouse?  I have to admit that even after almost 20 years of marriage, I still get a sense of pride when my wife does that.

Currently I am reading The Class Of Football edited by ESPN’s Adam Schefter.  What is interesting about this book is it is simply a collection of the most compelling sections of NFL Hall Of Fame speeches.  Chicago Bears LB and current San Francisco 49ers head coach Mike Singletary was inducted by his wife, Kim.  Understandably, she was quite generous with her praise.  

The following are key leadership quotes and character traits that she praised her husband for:

  1. She Praised His Preparation – “The countless hours of film he watched is legendary.”
  2. She Praised His Ability To See The Big Picture – “He took it upon himself to learn the responsibility of each member of that defense on each play.”
  3. She Praised His Unselfishness – “In his later years, he stayed after practice to develop his backup linebacker and fine-tune his skills.”
  4. She Praised His Generosity – Developing back-ups “would only make himself and the team better.”
  5. She Praised His Ability To Listen – “The quality that I most admire is his ability to listen.”
  6. She Praised His Sensitivity – “He is never too busy to give you his undivided attention.”
  7. She Praised His Impact On Others – “This is an age when professional athletes sometimes run away from their responsibilities as role models.  Well, this is one man who not only embraces that responsibility but finds greater joy in training men and women to be their own children’s role model.”

How do you become this type of man?  One way is to have encouraging parents.  Singletary’s mother used to tell him “Son, I want you to know something.  I want you to know that there is greatness in you, there’s something special about you.  I prayed for you before you were born and every day since.  It’s in there.”

Every man wants his wife to praise him about those seven items!

So here’s the questions – Do you encourage your spouse like that?  Do you encourage your children like that?  If not, start today and watch them begin to blossom and become everything God wanted them to be.

The 49ers are having a difficult year and Singletary may not return next year as their head coach.  Regardless, he is a winner – and his wife will be there to remind him of that. 

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