Building a House Is More Than Hammer and Nails

Build - Action Tool

This month I want to introduce “Build” the second Action-Oriented tool in the Encouragement In Action book. In understanding this tool, let’s look at the process of building a house. Think about the process of building a house. It is a step-by-step process that must be completed in a specific order to produce a safe and secure structure. Depending upon the complexity and size of the project, it can take more than a year to complete.

Many important decisions must be made before the construction even begins. Careful planning is required for selecting the building site, laying a solid foundation, framing the structure, installing essential utilities such as heating and electrical systems, and completing the interior and exterior. Every step plays an important role in creating a strong and lasting home.

Building Relationships

Building relationships works much the same way. Healthy, meaningful relationships are not built overnight. They develop one step at a time as trust is established and a solid foundation is formed.  As the relationship grows, opportunities are there for encouragement and to speak into their lives with love, wisdom and sincerity.

Just as every stage of building a house serves a purpose, every action you take in developing a relationship serves to build a solid foundation of trust. As you apply the actions below, the opportunity to develop a trusting relationship grows with each step.

Stages of building a relationship

Make Contact

Engage in small talk

Find common interests

Meet casually

Share a small personal detail

Practice active listening

Intentionally seek them out