| When you inspire the people you lead, you spend less time prodding and pushing. French writer Saint Exupery gave a great picture of what inspiration is when he wrote “If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up people to collect wood and don’t assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the open sea.”
As I think more and more about inspiring, I started to ask myself “can a person become more inspirational? Or is it a fixed trait…you either have it or don’t?”
In order to grow in anything, you must first know what skills and behaviors (or what elements) are needed.
So I first had to figure out what are the elements of inspiration. Or to put another way, what do inspirational people do that allows them to inspire.
I came up with four elements that seem to be present with inspiring leaders.
But first I want to flesh out what inspiring leaders don’t have to be/do.
1. Charismatic: You do not have to be charismatic to be inspiring. Just because someone has a big personality and is super comfortable in front of people, doesn’t make them inspiring.
2. Great orator: You have to be clear but you don’t have to be a master public speaker.
3. Perfect: You need to be someone who is modeling the things that are important but you do not have to be perfect. In fact, if you posture yourself as that, you will lose your people quickly. You have to be pursuing growth and getting better, but you do not have to be perfect.
Four Key Elements to Inspiring Leaders
1. Energy: Inspiring leaders have an energy about them that is hard to describe but easy to feel. I wrote about energy HERE. There are two types of energy; catabolic and anabolic. Catabolic tears down, destroys, and drains. Anabolic energy builds up, propels, and promotes. It’s impossible to inspire if you reside in the catabolic energy level. Inspiring leaders are honest in their assessment but are also hopeful for a better future (Stockdale Paradox). They are positive but not naive. They are resourceful, never complaining about a lack of resources. They are lifters and not leaners. Their energy leaves people thinking they can!
2. Care: Inspiring leaders really care about their people. They don’t just give lip service to caring, they actually do things that communicate sincere care for those they are leading. People sense if you are in it for yourself, your gain, your goals, and your personal glory.
3. Clarity: Inspiring leaders are able to give a clear picture of what the individual or team can be. They paint a clear picture of the possibilities. They are then able to bring clarity to the ‘how’ and the ”what’. How we can get there and what will take to get there. I wrote about clarity HERE.
4. Authenticity: Inspiring leaders are authentic. True authenticity is really obvious. Inauthenticity is also really obvious. I wrote about it HERE. Authentic people don’t try too hard to be someone they aren’t. They don’t pose or posture. They strive to be their best self and at the same time, they are who they are. People sense authenticity and will follow an authentic leader!
Are you able to inspire people? If not, which of the four elements do you need to grow in?
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