The ability to inspire is one of the most important leadership qualities that distinguish great leaders. Few leaders bring energy, passion, and connectedness to their teams. Oprah, Michelle Obama, and Michael Jordan are famous selfless role models who inspire people worldwide.
Data from nearly 50,000 executives from Harvard Business School shows that “the ability to inspire is the highest level of employee engagement and commitment.” The Bain research also found that “inspired employees are twice as productive and satisfied.” As a result, the company can increase profitability by 21% and reduce absenteeism by 41%, and revenue by 59%.
10 Actions of a Leader that Inspire
What should be a good leader? Many people think that a leader must have the will to win, succeed at any cost, identify and eliminate weaknesses in the work of subordinates, and do a lot of work. However, many experts believe this approach is fundamentally wrong and emphasize that leaders should focus on other aspects, such as energy management.
Put happiness first
Employee satisfaction is directly linked to success. Several studies have proven the relationship between positivity and performance. Feeling happy increases energy, productivity, and creativity. It inspires people to achieve more, even in stressful situations. Poor working conditions, a tense atmosphere, unfulfilled talents, competition for better results, unbearable workload, pressure from superiors, and constant pressure can dampen motivation and reduce productivity.
Put happiness first, not making money. It is good for you and your team. Follow the call of your heart, help others and use your strength to change the world for the better.
Develop your talent
Many leaders spend valuable time, money, and energy fighting mistakes instead of uncovering and using the talents of their employees. The result is an unhappy and unmotivated team. You need to focus more on the strengths than the flaws and weaknesses. Show care, celebrate your employees’ successes, help them realize their potential, and build effective teams.
People who succeed at work are more loyal to their company, interact more with colleagues, communicate better with customers, do more every day and come up with unconventional solutions.
Commitment to values
A deep purpose and responsibility drive inspirational leaders to bring about positive change. They clearly understand their values and don’t succumb to pressure if they have to sacrifice their values for results. An inspirational leader stands up for what is right and against injustice, regardless of public opinion. They act with integrity because they know that their employees are always on the alert and that every action matters. That’s why they stay true to their values and bring them into everything they do.
Formulate your mission
True excitement and joy arise when we strive for a high sense of our own, which works for society. Do you have a vision you are burning for? Maybe you want to do something special and create something unprecedented? Do you have a unique vision of what you, your team, and your company could be and where you lead people? Great leaders inspire their employees, give a special meaning to their work and life, arouse positive emotions in their employees, and help their teams find the way.
Promote unity
Collaboration is the most important component of a dedicated and successful team. Unity is crucial for success. Nothing destroys a team more than the staff unwilling to work together. Keep the door open for your team to come to you and express their opinion about the company. You want to be fully trusted by your team as a leader, right?
Inspirational leaders are determined and motivated by the success of their teams. By working together, people should learn from each other and leave their comfort zone to achieve greater goals. As a result, employees feel more confident in their abilities and want to take on more challenges.
Take time for self-awareness
Self-confidence is often unfairly pushed into the background. But self-knowledge is a valuable component of leadership and its foundation. It is not about knowing yourself but about the elements that make up the “self”: skills, shortcomings, successes, mistakes, motivations, preferences, life position, influence on others, gaps in knowledge, etc.
By being soberly aware of who you are and your influence on others, you become more open, empathetic, and approach people without tying yourself to the principles of life. Self-knowledge is about unleashing your potential.
Don’t burn out
People don’t consider the workload to be such a big stress factor as illness, relocation, layoffs, divorce, and the birth of a baby. However, many studies suggest that the small stresses of everyday life are often the red line.
A leader’s exhaustion undermines enthusiasm and spreads like a virus. As a result, you don’t give yourself time for rest or personal life. Instead, you get into competition and don’t realize the damage this commitment causes to your health and the quality of your work.
Start taking care of yourself and finding a balance in your life to maintain your energy. Rest, take a break from work, spend time with family and friends, sleep and eat well, learn new things and move on.
Be a human
Today, people need leaders who show generosity, empathy, compassion, honesty, understanding, appreciation, and commitment to their company, team, and community. Only kindness, spiritual generosity, moral greatness, and the will to contribute to the world’s prosperity can make the people around you happy and inspire them to realize their potential.
Be sure to return with help to those who helped you. This shows that you care about people who care about you. This way, stronger relationships can be built, resulting in better quality.
Praise employees
Make compliments to your employees and bring more emotions into your communication with them. Complimenting someone is the easiest way to get in touch with them. When people hear a sincere compliment, their doubts disappear, and their mood lifts.
If you can inspire your employees, they will be happy to work with you, your partners will be happy to do business with you, and your investors will support your ideas and projects. It all starts with the word “motivation.”
Offer interesting challenges
Strong employees often hate routine. Boredom and the same everyday tasks have low energy levels. As a result, neither the employee nor the company can make a profit. When inspirational leaders feel that their employees become uninterested in their job, they offer creative alternatives, challenge their employees, and demand personal involvement.
Toyota Motor Corporation develops an interesting method of developing professional skills that don’t involve promotion. Managers of the same level in different countries temporarily change places. Employees travel to learn how the company works in other parts of the world. Working like this prevents boredom and makes work diverse.
Conclusion
Leadership can be fun, but it can also be challenging. Learn to enjoy all aspects of leadership. If you don’t enjoy what you’re doing, it’s hard to be a leader. Don’t forget to think about your vision for the future and lead the team to achieve it.
Leadership is made up of many qualities necessary for success. If you commit yourself to success, you will become a successful leader. Remember that leadership is about inspiring team success.
