To me it seems like gentle encouragement, and a genuine attempt to simplify the process of employee share ownership.

Her voice held no trace of resentment or even disappointment, only gentle encouragement.

It soothed him by gentle encouragement of his hopes.

This provided a gentle encouragement and it replaced a tradition of providing free beer.

They don't award it as a form of gentle encouragement, like a parent calling "Good job!"

Despite some gentle encouragement on my part, we didn't talk any more about Jones that day.

But after a few weeks of gentle encouragement from his parents, he changed his mind.

He reached over and squeezed her hand in gentle encouragement.

A small measure of the same gentle encouragement she used with Apollo would have had an even more profound effect on him.