Over the years, I've observed a great need for 5 key essentials to move people along their life/professional journey. Most people simply need someone to meet them where they are (engage them), while others may need someone to believe in them, in their goals, and in their vision, spurring them on to take the plunge (encourage them). Meanwhile, others have the vision, but aren't equipped with the know-how, needs, and knowledge to live out their vision (education). The last two essentials (equipping and empowering) sometimes get mixed up with one another. Some leaders believe that their job is finished when the person is equipped with the necessary tools to complete the task. However, equipping and empowering should be kept entirely separate from one another. Equipping is a positive thing and sets the stage for great things to happen, whereas the final step is when all the essentials align and come together in the form of an opportunity (empowerment). I wish I could write about all of them at once, but it would be to overwhelming. So I chose to focus on the the one that I think applies to the most people and the most people can be empowered to use in their leadership journey. The Encouragement Factor: Give Me One More Inch focuses on the power and importance of encouragement, because I believe this is where the journey to empowerment really gains traction. The Encouragement Factor: Give Me One More Inch focuses on the foundation for empowerment, which is encouragement. Encouragement is one of the 5 Essentials of Empowerment, that can completely transform the direction of a person's life! Through my years of leading, coaching, and working with people of all demographics, I've noticed that most people just need a little encouraging. Most people genuinely want to do well and are willing to put in the work, but often feel hopeless because they do not see a clear path of how they can participate in what some call the American Dream. So as you read this book, you will find yourself challenged to "give just one more inch".