By facilitating employees’ growth in their area of focus and expertise as well as complimentary areas, inspirational leaders empower them to achieve greater success—personally, professionally, and organizationally.
...Inspirational leaders understand that in order to truly empower others, they must first help them grow. They give those they lead the opportunity to leverage their talents and use their own skills and common sense to influence decisions, add value, and make a difference.
...Leading by example may seem like an overly simple (and endlessly repeated) concept. So much so that you likely haven’t spent much time thinking about it in recent years because you already know that leading by example is important. But is this age-old principle really overrated or too obvious to even warrant reflection?
...In order for leaders to inspire others with their vision for the future, they themselves must be inspired and passionate about it!
...Inspirational leaders must paint a vivid picture of the future in order to inspire those they lead to follow them toward that vision.
...Integrity is not just a personal virtue that leaders should exemplify—they must also hold those they lead, and their entire organization, to a standard of high integrity.
...Inspirational leaders realize the importance of investing in those they lead. They are willing to invest time and resources in order to have great team members—and thus great teams and organizations.
...To be able to respond well to the needs of others, you must first make sure you are functioning well yourself.
...We are all leaders in some area of our lives, and every leader everywhere deals with conflict. A critical component of responsive and effective leadership is to actively prevent and resolve conflict. Here are 10 tips.
...Communication is a critical part of being responsive. Here are 3 tips for being responsive and achieving greater success when dealing with the needs and expectations of others.
...To be a person and a leader who truly inspires others, you must be disciplined and intentional in giving people priority. Respect their time and contributions by disconnecting from distractions and committing to be fully present whenever with them.
...It is an extremely simple concept, but also an extremely important strategy for achieving greater success: Treat everyone with respect. This is particularly essential for effective and inspirational leadership. Great leaders strive to be approachable by anyone, regardless of status or title. One key aspect of that is demonstrating respect toward everyone. A great first step is …
A few weeks ago I discussed the importance of being authentic and avoiding the trap of accidental inauthenticity caused by mimicking others instead of developing and leveraging your own unique strengths. Of course, in order to act and speak authentically, you must first develop a clear picture of who you are and what your strengths …
Whether it’s a gravesite visit, an in-person visit, a phone call or letter, or simply some time alone to think and reflect over cherished memories and express your gratitude in writing, make the time and do it!
...In our effort to improve ourselves, we might start changing our behaviors to mirror those of a mentor, or try to follow a list of prescribed actions we read in a book. But in our pursuit of greater success we must be careful not to lose our authenticity.
...It’s a simple concept, but following through on promises made—big or little—is a challenge for a lot of people. Even if it’s “little stuff,” friends, colleagues, employees, and customers alike quickly lose confidence in people who over-promise and under-deliver.
...It takes courage, self-discipline, and practice to resist the urge to give an excuse and not just an explanation. But an essential strategy for achieving greater success is to be fully accountable, and to do that you must refrain from giving excuses.
...I believe it is far more effective to focus on your strengths than your weaknesses. Don’t aim for well rounded, aim for sharp! Then surround yourself with an excellent team of people (or group of friends) who shore up your weak spots and are sharp where you are blunt.
...Inspirational leaders don’t just point the way, they labor alongside those they lead. There’s nothing quite as powerful or influential as serving side by side with those you lead. So if you desire to be a truly inspirational leader, you better grab an oar and row!
...Inspirational leadership is less about world renown and more about individual impact. Many leaders are considered ‘inspirational’ because of the remarkable things they appear to have accomplished and the success they’ve achieved. But offstage, behind-the-scenes and down in the trenches, their attitude and character may be anything but inspirational.
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