
Four Key Qualities of Inspirational Leaders
Whether you aspire to be an inspiration to a congregation, a business, or your kids you should know that there are some common practices that inspirational leaders adhere to no matter who or what they want to inspire.
If you think that free coffee and donuts in the breakroom is going to inspire your employees to come to work – or that telling kids how you walked a mile to school, barefoot in the snow is going to inspire your kids to do well in school, you need to rethink your courses of action.
One of the things that makes a leader able to inspire others is their ability to “think bigger, beyond what is around them” they are willing to step outside of the expected norm.
“The two most powerful warriors are patience and time…so remember: great achievements take time, there is no overnight success.” – Leo Tolstoy
It's one thing to inspire folk but it's an altogether different story to inspire them to a point that they are able to draw (inspiration) from a broad range of life experiences and competencies.
An inspirational leader removes barriers for getting work done and then joins in the work itself and gets the job done.
4 Key Inspirational Qualities
Let's explore four key qualities that inspirational leaders bring to the table:
- Enthusiasm – When you express passion for what you’re doing, others become ignited from your passion like one candle lighting another. You may not be enthused about a course of action your company is taking, but you can have enthusiasm about getting everyone on board to make it happen.
- Tell Stories – You may notice that whenever a president gives the “State of the Union” address, he tells the inspirational stories of others. Some may make you cry, but all will elicit some type of emotion. When you tell personal stories about your company or how people are helped by what you’re involved in, others will be inspired.
- Communicate a Vision – A lower-level employee may not become inspired about a plan for your company that’s going to make the executives lots of money in their stock portfolios – but they will become inspired when you can communicate a vision of what it will do for them.
- Be Honest – No matter what the challenge, an inspirational leader will face it with honesty. If you’ve made a mistake that’s affecting your business or your family, you should be honest and forthright – and have a plan to overcome any adversity.
- Respect – When you earn respect from others you’re on your way to becoming a leader who inspires. Ethics and integrity garner respect and how you conduct yourself during hardships is also a key quality in leaders who inspire.
Ask yourself what inspires you to new heights or to overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles. When you find the answer, you can experience peak performance because you’ll know what it takes to get you there.
“If your actions create a legacy that inspires others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, then, you are an excellent leader.” – Dolly Parton
When you know what inspires others, you can be the leader who takes others to greater heights than they ever imagined. Listen to others, know what inspires them and you can become the inspirational leader you want to be.
Inspirational Leaders are Human Too
Finally, inspirational leaders connect so well with others because they are willing to be transparent about their own experiences and struggles regarding what it took for them to get to where they are. They understand what makes them uniquely different, and they get that genuine authenticity inspires others to be authentic too.
Additional Sources:
- Read Article: How Inspirational Leaders Motivate Others to Action: 7 Traits – InitiativeOne.com
- Read Article – 4 Keys to Being an Inspirational Leader
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- Goals – 6 Insanely Useful Reasons to Be Intentional In The Goals You Set - October 16, 2020