Go ahead! You can do it.

You'd be amazed at what people can (and will) do if you not only give them a chance but also believe in their potential.  It's important to know that everyone has unique gifts and talents.  It's your job to assist in bringing those gifts and talents out into the world.  In other words, rather than sitting back and waiting for people to be perfect- and being frustrated when they are not-take some responsibility in the process by creating an ideal psychological working environment.There's an old motto in business: Give someone a reputation to live up to and watch them shine.  It's really true.  Most people, given the right environment, are hard-working, talented, creative, and productive.  They want to please others just as you and I want to.  Unfortunately, however, most people are hardly ever exposed to an ideal working environment. 

What happens to someone when she is insecure, resentful, or frightened?  Very simply, she loses most of her motivation to please you as well as most of her other positive work-related qualities.  Consider the following example:  You have an assistant.  Every day when he walks in the door, you remind him how incompetent he is.  You point out his weaknesses and flaws.  You belittle him in front of other people.  Then you walk out the door.  The question is, How does your assistant feel?  It's hard to know for sure, because people react differently to the same set of facts.  But it's a good bet that he's either frightened, insecure, resentful of you, or most likely, all of the above.  His job performance is going to be suspect.  If you are disappointed in him, you are missing the point!

Wouldn't you increase your odds of securing a dedicated, hardworking assistant if you treated him with enormous, genuine respect?  Wouldn't your assistant be more likely to work hard and keep your best interests in mind if you were to treat him with kindness, reminding him frequently how much you appreciate him, pointing out to him when he does something right?  Ideally, we want everyone to feel good about themselves.  We want others to believe in themselves, to feel confident and secure; to feel as if they are talented, competent, and creative.  This way, everyone wins.

When you encourage creativity in others and have faith in them, it's analogous to creating the ideal conditions for a garden.  You are "planting the seeds" for an environment where success is most likely to occur.  When you plant a garden, you want to have the right type of soil, moisture, and sunshine.  When you build people up-instead of pushing them down-you create the psychological equivalent.  The same principle applies whether you are hiring a housekeeper, an attorney, an accountant, a publicist, or anyone else.  It also applies to your children, your spouse, your friends, and your neighbors.  It always works:  When you believe in someone and when that person knows that you believe in her, magical things can happen.  From this point on, see if you can expect great things from people.  Do your part by creating the ideal working conditions.  Be kind, patient, and supportive.  Then, sit back and watch what happens. - 

 (Title: Encourage Creativity in Others and Have Faith in Them, from the book, Don't Sweat the Small Stuff... Omnibus by Richard Carlson)