Leaders are expected to deliver sustainable improvements – in results, processes, team development, etc. Motivating their teams to produce these enhancements takes a mix of influence and inspiration.
Influence involves leaders sharing their knowledge and experience, and engaging openly and transparently with their teams, to establish credibility, build trust, and model collaboration. Influence helps your team understand the rationale for a change.
But inspiring is a more subtle competency. Leadership inspiration is not about loud enthusiasm, motivational clichés, or unclear expressions of appreciation. It’s about creating meaningful connection and purpose that transforms how your people see their work and themselves. Inspiration enables your team’s will to change.
True inspiration goes deeper than temporary motivation. It has three core elements:
- Clarity of Purpose: Inspirational leaders articulate a clear, compelling vision that transcends immediate tasks. They help their teams understand not just what needs to be done, but why it matters. This goes beyond surface-level motivation into the realm of genuine purpose.
- Demonstrated Commitment: Inspiration is more about showing than telling. When leaders visibly invest themselves, take calculated risks, and demonstrate unwavering commitment to the team’s goals, they create a powerful, authentic model of engagement.
- Personal Connection: True inspiration recognizes individual potential – understanding and nurturing each team member’s unique strengths, aspirations, and capacity for growth. Leaders who inspire tailor their approach so people feel their unique contributions are truly seen and valued.
Leadership inspiration is quiet and profound. It’s found in:
- Meaningful feedback that reveals unseen potential
- Creating opportunities for growth and learning
- Demonstrating authenticity and vulnerability
- Connecting individual contributions to broader organizational purpose
The challenge for leaders seeking to inspire is to move beyond superficial motivation and momentary excitement. Inspirational leadership recognizes the potential and dignity of each team member. It helps them discover new possibilities, and their own capacity for making a difference.