When you think of inspiring leaders, your mind may immediately conjure significant historical figures who could deliver rousing speeches, such as Winston Churchill or Martin Luther King, Jr. Or you may think instead of quiet, determined change-makers who took a stand for what was right, such as Rosa Parks or Malala Yousafzai. In the world of business, there are certainly innovators who challenge the status quo and disrupt a market, such as Bill Gates or Steve Jobs. But what makes these leaders so inspiring?
The ability to inspire is about more than great speeches, acts of determination, or brilliant innovation. Leaders at all levels can develop the skills to be verbally and non-verbally present in ways that help create an inspiring environment for others. Here are five ways to build your ability to inspire as a leader.
At the foundation of being a leader who inspires is the ability to reinforce a purpose and vision—in short, the “why” of the organizational efforts. As Simon Sinek says, “People don’t buy what you do; they buy why you do it.” In his description of the Golden Circle, “Why” is at the center of all business endeavors. “Purpose is the reason we do the thing that makes the profit,” he says.
The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company is well-known for luxury, but the care it provides to guests is about more than just nice amenities. The brand’s Credo says the highest mission is the “genuine care and comfort of our guests.” For the Ritz-Carlton, that mission permeates the air and transcends from the top down. Every leader in the organization—from the C-suite to housekeeping—reinforces the purpose and vision, creating a one-of-a-kind guest experience.
Leaders who inspire tie the company's vision, values, and mission together to establish a clearly defined purpose. They reinforce purpose and vision through small, daily actions and top-level communications. Inspiring leaders place organizational goals over personal goals and exceed expectations to continually support the purpose.
Inspirational leaders have robust organizational savvy. They are highly invested in the organization through strong relationships and alliances and show solid organizational cultural awareness. This cultural awareness can include understanding how to dress for the organization, learning what kind of messaging or meeting platforms are preferred, and using the internal linguistic preferences of the organization. Linguistic choices may include technical terms or even just unique usage or phrases that indicate membership in the organization.
Leaders with a strong presence can also navigate organizational processes smoothly and know how to get things done as part of a team. They know how to influence others across the organization and tie action and strategy to the company's overall purpose. In addition, these leaders will regularly champion their teams to more senior leaders and look for ways to expand their team’s influence.
A surgeon who struggled in his work relationships committed to sending three e-mails per week to express thanks and appreciation without asking for anything in return. The first week, one of those e-mails ended up in the hands of the hospital CEO, who expressed to the surgeon how much the e-mail meant to the team. Within a few months, the surgeon saw how valuable his small behavior changes were to his team, patients, and even his family.
Always remember the value of interpersonal relationships and emotional intelligence. Listen to individual team members, encourage them to get to know each other, and be visible within your team. In addition, build relationships by inviting knowledge and input from people in different levels, functions, and roles across the organization.
Even small behavior changes and commitments can result in positive impacts on relationships. When leaders have strong relationships with colleagues, team members, bosses, and customers, they can inspire massive changes and produce great results.
Storytelling is one of the most powerful ways to inspire others. Stories resonate with people in ways that data can never mimic. While data may support an idea or argument, stories connect people emotionally to a goal, purpose, or strategy.
In a February 2020 TEDx presentation, leadership consultant Karen Eber describes how stories can help drive change, connect with others, and build trust. She says a compelling story must answer three questions: What is the context? What is the conflict? What is the outcome?
To craft a compelling story that answers those questions, use the following guidelines:
Inspirational leaders can set a positive example and inspire commitment by demonstrating consistently high performance in their work, displaying confidence under fire, and challenging the status quo. In addition, when they take smart, calculated risks or demonstrate high-performance behaviors, they create an environment that encourages commitment to the core purpose of the organization.
Employees shouldn’t have to look only to the C-suite for inspiration. Every leader at every level should strive to inspire—to show up as fully committed to the mission and purpose of the organization and drive strategies, actions, and goals with that mission and purpose in mind. When every leader shows up ready to inspire, team members across the company will also show up prepared to engage and deliver business and people results.
SELF-CHECK: