03.18.2026

IGNITE

Where Dr. Tom Webb sparks your curiosity and inspires action!

Reader this lesson hit me hard,

This morning, I watched my oldest son pull on his muddy work boots before heading out for another day on the job.

He’s 20 now and finishing his first year as a union operator apprentice.

As he got ready to leave, I patted him on the head and said, “I’m proud of the man you are.”

That may not sound like much, but for me, it was a moment.

I usually tell him "I am proud of the man you are becoming." But this morning felt different. He looked grown. Steady. Strong. There was grit on his boots and maturity in his eyes. And when he looked up at me, we shared one of those deep, quiet moments only a parent and child can fully understand.

It wasn’t dramatic. It wasn’t long.

But it was real.

And it got me thinking.

In the workplace, whether you’re a teacher, principal, secretary, manager, foreman, or CEO, your words carry weight.

Most of us do a decent job of saying the basics:

“Good job.”

“Thanks for staying late.”

“Way to go.”

“I appreciate your hard work.”

And that’s good. It matters.

But sometimes I wonder if we stop short.

Do we ever slow down long enough to help people feel what we really mean?

Do we make them feel that we see their character?
Their commitment?
Their sacrifices?
Their consistency?
Their quiet loyalty when nobody else notices?

That’s the difference.

The solution is not some new leadership strategy or complicated culture initiative.

It’s a pause.

A sincere look.

A little more presence.

A few extra seconds for the words to settle.

Because praise is not just about what you say. It’s about how you deliver it.

A grin.
A handshake.
A fist bump.
A moment of eye contact.
A tone that says, “I mean this.”

That changes everything.

It takes praise from polite to powerful.

It takes affirmation from routine to remembered.

It takes something people hear every day and turns it into something they actually carry with them.

That’s what happened with Logan this morning.

As I finish this week, I want to be more intentional with my praise.

Not louder.
Not longer.
Just deeper.

I want the people around me to receive it the way he did.

Because the people who give so much to our homes, our schools, our teams, and our companies deserve more than passing compliments.

They deserve to feel seen.

Let’s be better with our words this week.

And even better with the pause that gives those words power.

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A little more pause and a little more presence might be exactly what someone needs today.

Onward >>>>>

Tom

#TeamBOOM

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