How inspiring leaders work
Successful leaders have the power to inspire, motivate, and positively influence people. Well practiced leadership contributes to job satisfaction, motivation and productivity. JFK knew how to do it. Devote 4 minutes to watching Stacey Bredhoff explaining how he thought and communicated:
John F. Kennedy was an inspiring leader who, as we have seen, knew how to communicate. Men went out of their way to please him and women fell in love with him. Forgetting about the falling in love aspect, what is special about him and other inspiring leaders?
What characterize a great leader?
- A strong set of values and openness, trust and true respect for others
- Genuine humility and not afraid to show vulnerability
- Regularly reflect and have an unquenchable thirst for learning
- Bend rules, take calculated risks and sometimes guided by gut-feelings and tolerate this in other people
- A certain amount of flexibility to adapt to circumstances and make real strides forward
- Accessible and informal which is a very powerful motivator for their colleagues
- Not only skills and training are valued but focus is heavily on attitude, because, without the right attitude and motivation, nothing worth while will be achieved
So why do these traits produce results?
Simply because pay is only one component of job satisfaction. Other equally important factors are respect and prestige and making staff feel good about themselves, their jobs and the company they work for. In other words inspiring leadership produces results by contributing directly to fulfilling many of people's emotional needs. Consequently it’s also fundamental for a leader to have people skills and emotional intelligence.
Passion to inspire
Unless you are passionate and inspired about something you can not inspire others. But even that's not enough if you don't manage to create and convey a memorable vision that people identify with and want to be part of. A good way to make your vision memorable is to tell stories to illustrate it.
It's not about you – it's about them
Your colleagues are asking themselves what's in it for me? Answer them and don't make them guess, because if you do there could be misunderstandings. People should feel they own your vision and understand where and how they fit in.
Bring everybody into the process
Employees, customers and investors should all be part of the process of reaching the vision outlined. It's your job to solicit input, listen to feedback and incorporating what you hear into your vision. That way you make people feel important and that they are doing something meaningful.
Convey optimism and hope
Everybody wants a better future. Churchill gave people hope during the darkest days of World War II. Optimism has a ripple effect throughout an organisation so you have to use positive and optimistic language.
Encourage and praise people
Praised people flourish just as when you criticize staff they shrivel up. By encouraging you connect with them. Genuine praise diminish doubts and spirits soar. And that’s exactly the kind of people you want to surround yourself with. Happy, optimistic and ready to go the extra mile to make your vision come true.
An interesting fact is that by inspiring your people you become the kind of person they want to be around. Customers will want to do business with you, employees work with you and investors back you. And it all starts with learning how to inspire and motivate. You want a company full of positive energy and buzz where people cooperate and encourage innovation and growth because they identify with what you are trying to achieve. And don’t forget the importance of fun. In successful companies people work hard but enjoy themselves while doing so. It’s a key innovation driver and as a leader it’s your job to inspire staff to enjoy what they are doing.
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Tags: availability, honesty, inspiration, JFK, John F. Kennedy, leadership, motivation, optimism, passion, respect, results, trust, vision, Winston Churchill
November 15th, 2010 at 08:03
Great post Catrina.
The engagement with the listener (staff, follower) is a critical component of a great leader yet all too often it is one that is either overlooked or simply not given the attention required particularly in a business where it can often be assumed through hierarchy. i.e. I'm the boss therefore people will listen. The reality is that only the mechanical response of hearing can be expected, the 'listening' implies a conscious level of engagement that stimulates follow on thoughts and actions in support of the leader and their vision….it is here that here that the real value is added, people become motivated and leaders truly differentiate themselves from the managers within organisations by inspiring their listeners to take action.
This is the first blog I've read this week and it's set me up for the day….thanks!!
November 15th, 2010 at 10:38
Glad you like my article. Agree with what you say.
November 15th, 2010 at 14:47
Another good post, Catarina.
In my view, great leaders inspire through setting the example for others to follow and not being "above the crowd" in their manner or dealings, and being able to tell the story of where they want to take everyone in such a way that it is clearly visible to all, is enticing and believed to be achievable, albeit with extra effort.
November 16th, 2010 at 04:15
The biggest thing I take from your post is in regards to passion. If you lack passion how can you inspire others indeed. Great post.
November 16th, 2010 at 12:37
Yes Dennis, and how do you teach someone passion?
November 16th, 2010 at 12:37
Glad you agree with me Guy.
November 16th, 2010 at 18:16
A well composed inspiration leadership article, with two great examples of inpirational leaders. It included almost all elements of inspiration leadership quaities in a simple way. Despite the last paragraph speaks about a fact that is easy to beleive in it did not back that with enough evidence and examples from business life.
The question remains are inspirational leaders really successful in driving results. or in just gathering people emotionally around them.
I still like the article.
November 16th, 2010 at 18:47
Glad you like my article. I leave it up to you to decide if inspirational leaders are successful in driving results or just gathering people emotionally around them. Would you, for instance, say that Richard Branson is a successful, inspirational leader or just gather people emotionally around him?
November 16th, 2010 at 20:51
Good point. I still think that Richard was a talented business man with born enrreprureurial strengths.
While some of the inspirational leaders I know of had taken them selves into unnecessary strugles failing to sell them selves to the wider world, just like Nehro, Tito, Nasser. They have not achieved the dreams of their followers but on the contrary has cause delay in achieving dreams that would have otherwise been realized by natural evolution.
I think the qualities you listed are great and encampassing, But there is a secret quantitave blend that makes it work. For example flexibility, how flexible one should be in the face of adverse conditions. Some inspirational leaders have gone too far in flexibility and some has been insufficiently flexible and both has failed a good Example is Nasser who recognized flexibility is needed but late. and Sadat who was so flexible and igonored the need to sell the objective to all stakeholders.
Shall we still call them leaders? or shall we consider them rather lacking the complete and right blend of qualities proportions?
A great debate and I still like the concise nature of this article.
November 16th, 2010 at 21:37
Wonderful and informative… I only have one question… How then do incompetent people get to be on top? I have seen many times when Managers use the work of their teams to promote themselves, giving no credit, all blame and leaving the teams disgruntled, to say the least. It seems that those 'leaders' are somehow fooling those above them, and so on and so on. I really wish that every person who is in charge of others had the basic desire to be a 'leader', but it does not seem so. Too many of us are working under those I describe, wishing to work under those you describe.
November 17th, 2010 at 00:37
Exactly. You don't. Unless you inspire something in them.
November 17th, 2010 at 03:40
Catarina: I enjoyed your article. I look for pieces, such as this, that I can take at least one item and apply it right away. And this article does just that.
Leaders do not need to know everything, but they must display confidence to locate the answer. Also to be a leader you need to have passion, hunger and desire.
All leaders have an ego, that needs to be removed as they lead. It is ok to have an ego, but must be suppressed as you lead. Leaders that cannot separate their ego will have a difficult time having followers.
November 17th, 2010 at 11:54
Thank you Steve. Agree with you. For me ego is something negative. But far too many people have a huge ego which as you say complicate leadership and makes them power hungry.
November 17th, 2010 at 12:00
Nabil leadership is a huge subject. Who is a leader and who is not?
Stalin, Tito, Nero and so forth were tyrants who exercised the leadership of fear. So if we exclude that category and instead focus on people who lead as opposed to scaring people to do what they want, the subject becomes a bit more manageable.
Then we also have to differentiate between leaders and managers which basically boils down to leaders make people identify with and want to be part of making their vision come true and managers telling people what to do and people do so because they have to.
Far too many "leaders" today are in fact managers which has detrimental effects on not only the company they work for but their staff and society as a whole.
November 17th, 2010 at 12:03
Have heard from several management consultants in the US that managers in senior positions see leaders as a threat to themselves. Hence people with leadership qualities are not hired, promoted and sometimes even get fired. This doesn't apply only to America but the whole world. So I'm afraid this phenomena will continue to have detrimental effects on our world.
November 17th, 2010 at 15:30
Great post Catarina.
Focussing on what others need and desire and delivering it with passion and conviction is incredibly powerful and is what people really want in times of difficulty or change.
Glad to have discovered your blog.
Paul
November 17th, 2010 at 15:37
Glad we agree Paul. The corporate world would be a better place for all if more leaders worked like that. But short term gains often signifies that the staff is managed and not led.
November 17th, 2010 at 23:21
I agree Tito, Salin, Nero, Hitler were probably managing by terror. Nasser was not. People loved him or at least the majority did.
You are right leading is about identification with people and vice versa. Creating the social identity is the major leadership achievement in my opinion. He has demonstrated for 18 years the traits you listed, amazingly that was in the fifties and sixties. But you are right he had a gange around him that was spoiling his pure performance as a leader by tyranic practices. I agree with you leaders sometimes are not recognized as CEOs or Managers. They are sometimes in positions away from managers but have this great influence on others. Mother Teresa (spelling) is a good example of servant leadership that did not had any power of decision on others.
Great discussons. I am still in the joy of your article and the comments on it. Thanks.
November 18th, 2010 at 13:20
Nabil, sorry I don't know enough about Nasser to discuss him in detail.
November 19th, 2010 at 03:42
Leaders who inspire will find employees following them willingly and voluntarily. Rule by fear and intimidation will isolate a leader and s/he will never get the facts on which to make critical decisions. When times are good, poor leaders can get away with treating employees badly. When times are good the good ones will flee.
November 19th, 2010 at 06:56
I love your statement, "People should feel they own your vision and understand where and how they fit in." When your employees embrace your vision as their own then your company's successes are also theirs which is quite motivating. I hope to offer this sense of ownership to my employees when I expand.
November 19th, 2010 at 12:24
Agree with you completely Jeannette.
November 19th, 2010 at 12:26
Absolutely Catherine. I'm sure you will make your future employees feel a sense of ownership.
November 19th, 2010 at 18:53
Excellent post on leadership. You've summarized everything essential to leadership in one subhead "It's Not About You, It's About Them." Not being afraid to help others succeed is surely the best path to leadership, isn't it? Thanks for sharing your wisdom.
November 19th, 2010 at 19:45
My pleasure Kate.
Leaders who resist that it's not about them but about the employees will really fail. Nowadays people look at their career not to stay in a company for life. So it's up to the leadership of companies to motivate talent to stay with them. If they don't staff will just move on.
November 20th, 2010 at 01:59
Catarina, There's no doubt in my mind that this happens. Actually, just before I was "downsized" from my last position (as part of a senior management team), I was told by my boss that I had the best leadership skills in the organization. That was a couple of weeks before eliminating my job. How do you think people can rise to the position of senior level management without being leaders? How do they manage to continually get promoted when their actions are not necessarily in the best interest of the organization as a whole? I'd sincerely be interested in hearing your take on this.
November 20th, 2010 at 12:41
Sherryl, several US managment consultants have told me that leaders are frequently seen as a threat by other managers in senior positions. Most likely that's what happened to you. So called "leaders" that are in fact managers are frequently in senior jobs as a result. The fact that it's not in the best interest of the organisation is not as important as looking after number one. This phenomena I have observed all over the world actually. It's completely wrong but happens frequently.
November 20th, 2010 at 13:51
Catarina, Of all the fantastic posts you have written, this is my favorite. I have printed it out and will use it for my own inspiration and to inpire my son as he matures on his way out in to the real world. As an advocate for emotional intelligence skills, this article hits home about all those non acadamic or non technical skills that can lead an individual to the heights of success. Thanks.
November 20th, 2010 at 15:00
Wonderful news Keyuri. Hope my article has positive impact on your family.
November 20th, 2010 at 19:04
Another inspiring post Catarina. I've shared it where I can. Have you ever thought of writing a book? or have you already? I'd read it!
November 21st, 2010 at 12:15
Most obliged Sherryl. Thank you.
November 21st, 2010 at 17:59
Catarina,
Great post about how to essentially be a mentor – not just a manager. Making sure your employees feel valued, can only have a positive impact on their productivity. Ruling by fear and intimidation is counter-productive. I have worked in both types of environments and I am sure it is no secret that I prefer the former. The highest compliment I ever received from someone I managed, was when she referred to me as her mentor. I knew that at least from her perspective (and hopefully the others I managed too) that I had been successful in accomplishing my goal of creating and maintaining a team environment where the team members actually wanted to help each other and work together to achieve our department objectives.
November 21st, 2010 at 18:34
Great comment Julie! There is a great need for more inspiring leaders like you in the corporate world. Not only would employees sleep well at night, profits would increase as well.
November 21st, 2010 at 21:46
Another great post Catarina. I read research done a few years ago and it said a leader like the then MD of Kimberly Clark typified a leader. One of his qualities was humility which the study said was far better for the company than having a charasmatic leader. The reason was that it allowed employees to shine rather than just have the focus on the leader.
November 22nd, 2010 at 11:17
Agree with you completely Susan. A leader cult is not a positive thing, just think of Stalin. He was by the way a tyrant and had not the qualities of a leader. But fear worked very well for him.
November 22nd, 2010 at 19:17
From the study of great military leaders, the thing that stood out for me was that men would follow a Leader to their deaths. Why? Because the Leader was actually leading. He was out front, the first to engage the enemy.
There is a huge difference between the Leader at the head of his troops, and the General on top of the hill.
The Leader and the followers are all in it together, and all share the dangers–and the rewards–together. The General see followers as personal assets, to be used, exploited, and discarded in his own quest for personal reward.
Rick
November 24th, 2010 at 19:15
Yes that's one way of looking at it Rick.
December 1st, 2010 at 12:54
A good leader uses his heart and his mind, he even stay his humility and respect for others that is true meaning of being a good leader.
December 1st, 2010 at 13:03
Good way of putting it.
April 22nd, 2012 at 18:44
It took a while to not only read your post, but then to read what others had to say.
There is something about leaders/leadership that inspire us to know their magic ingredient, so that we can aspire to be like them and John F. Kennedy is certainly one of those people that we think of when it comes to being inspiring.
When it comes to business or politics, I would say leadership comes down to three major componants
*values*- *vision* and *strategy*. Through their values, a good or inspiring leader will develop their vision of where they want to go and then they will strategically keep referring to that vision in a multitude of ways including surrounding themselves with people who are "like minded" to help with both the vision as well as the strategy.
I feel that we are always going to wonder at and do all we can to learn, understand those qualites that make the best leaders and articles of this kind, help us with that process, so thank your for your time and effort in producing a thought provoking as well as an interesting discussion.
cool!
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April 23rd, 2012 at 13:01
Yes Diane, leadership is an issue that attracts most people's attention and everybody has views on it. All human beings seem to have a definition of what is a leader as well as leadership.
April 23rd, 2012 at 22:50
When you read the qualities outlined in your post it all seems so simple. The fact is, it isn't. Most people in a leadership role forget to really apply what is good for all they touch and affect to accomplish a goal. It starts and end outside of ourselves. That is what all the qualities really speak to. Thank you for taking the time to remind me and others of that fact.
))
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April 24th, 2012 at 09:52
Susan, one reason for that is that most so called leaders are not leaders but in fact managers, unfortunately.
April 24th, 2012 at 10:24
For me, a great leader is someone who can think outside of the box and no matter how the odds are against him, he will still manage to make something happen. The power to truly inspire others is a big aspect for a leader as well. Also, being humble and approachable at all times is the ideal and right attitude for a leader.
Thank you for this informative and thought-provoking post!
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April 24th, 2012 at 14:33
Glad you like it Sylvia and agree with me.
April 24th, 2012 at 17:44
Great post. To me, strong leadership is a blend of charisma, confidence, knowledge and compassion.
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April 24th, 2012 at 18:00
Seems JFK used to fit the bill, Doreen. Not sure about the compassion but of the other ingredients he had an abundance.
April 25th, 2012 at 00:10
"It's not about you, it's about them." I think that may be the most important aspect of the makeup of a great leader. I have been a "boss" most of my working life. I find that it is absolutely mandatory that you make your employees feel important and appreciated. You need to include them in the decision making process as much as possible because the more they are involved, the more committed they will be to making the decision work. In all of my years, I have never had an employee quit. I've never had anyone bring a complaint against me. And I think that part of it is that I am careful to make them feel important and appreciated. An employee who feels powerless is a dangerous employee. Those are the employees who file lawsuits. Lawsuits are almost never about what they claim to be about. They are almost always an employee telling you, "You think I am powerless? Watch this! Watch me exert the power to make your life miserable."
Nice list, Catarina! I always enjoy reading your stuff.
Kay in Hawaii
April 25th, 2012 at 05:22
Quite true. It is a combination of many qualities, some probably undefinable.
There is another side to it; the damage that people that people in leadership positions can do without really being leaders.
Hee are a couple of examples (dramatised) : http://darkofficehumour.wordpress.com/2011/12/14/… http://darkofficehumour.wordpress.com/2012/01/04/…
April 25th, 2012 at 10:48
Glad we agree Ankur. Unfortunately the majority of "leaders" in this world are not leaders but managers.
April 25th, 2012 at 11:07
Excellent points Kay that I fully agree with. Have the same experience apart from the litigation aspect I never had to take into account since that's an American phenomena. In the rest of the world is much more difficult to sue and win the way it's done in the US. So it hardly ever happens.
April 26th, 2012 at 16:14
Your article will give an insight to may small business owners who want to keep their employees happy. You are right, if my boss is praising me for a well done job, I will be glad to go out of my way to get great results. How many people will dare to follow the gut at the work place?
Your article is easy to read and understand.
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April 26th, 2012 at 17:07
Glad you like and agree with my article Bindhurani.
April 27th, 2012 at 21:39
Catarina,
Great article on Kennedy.
Still, the most telling is "the need to be led." That comes when we realise we are in over our head. Then we look for a leader. At that point, we look to someone be believe can save our you know what whether we like the person or not.
People who write about Charismatic leaders like Kennedy, seem to be taking ex-post-facto inventory in an effort to convince people they can teach leadership. That is like looking at the recipe for a great cake, writing it into an article, and pretending that I am able to teach people how to bake.
Regards,
Slim
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April 28th, 2012 at 10:42
Glad you like my article Slim. You cannot teach leadership more than to some degree. If you haven't got what it takes no crash course in leadership will make you a great and inspiring leader.
May 3rd, 2012 at 03:24
There is a personality disorder listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manuel (DSM) of the American Psychiatric Association (the DSM is the recipe book and billing manual for psychiatrists and other healthcare providers). That disorder, well described in the must-see Canadian documentary entitled The Corporation, describes humans that are deceitful, impulsive, aggressive, cruel, cunning, reckless, risk-taking, thoughtless, irresponsible, immoral, unethical and conscienceless. These individuals frequently commit crimes, lie about it when they do and then try to evade the law when found out. If they are indicted, they try to implicate others, try to plea bargain down their punishment and then show no remorse for their deeds when convicted.
The disorder is called “antisocial personality disorder” (DSM-IV diagnostic code # 301.7), which is essentially synonymous with what is known as “psychopathic personality disorder”. It is widely felt to be incurable. Serial killers, violent gang members, torturers, child abusers and serial rapists typically qualify for the diagnosis.
DSM 301.7 is often applied to charismatic manipulators who are sane but very cunning individuals (personality disorders are not regarded as classical mental illnesses). Criminal psychopaths (as are their sociopathic corporate counterparts) seem to be incapable of having the human feelings of shame or guilt, and they never really try to change (Ex: the widely-imitated Gordon Gekko of “Wall Street” infamy).
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