Sometimes we’ve got something great that is worth hanging onto and fighting for. And sometimes what we have is good or ‘okay,’ but we should be willing to let it go in favor of something better. It takes flexibility, humility, and wisdom to know the difference.
...Every leader receives critique. Some leaders appreciate it, some dread it, and some resent it – but every good leader needs it. In order to truly achieve leadership excellence, you need to learn, grow, mature, develop, and improve as a leader, and one of the best tools for accomplishing this is critique.
...Inspirational leaders understand that confidence is just as vital for success as competence. As Andy Core writes, “Self-confidence is one of those intangible traits that encourages an employee to do their work well.” In other words, confidence in themselves and what they’re doing leads to greater competence.
...When done well and offered consistently, honest feedback is one of the most effective tools for facilitating growth and further empowering those you lead. So how do you deliver feedback, especially corrective feedback, in a positive and constructive way? Here are 9 best practices.
...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!
...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.
...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 …
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.
...Regularly asking yourself WHY you desire to lead and influence others is an important habit for every leader to adopt.
...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.
...In my book, Be An Inspirational Leader: Engage, Inspire, Empower, I spend an entire chapter on the concept of leveraging the power of habit to become a better, more effective inspirational leader. Here are 8 examples I include in that chapter of habits you might want to develop as part of your journey to becoming a more inspirational leader.
...A key component of empowering those you lead is to give them appropriate authority. This is the area most people think of when they hear the word empower, and it is a vital component of inspirational leadership.
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