As a business leader, a lot of people look up to you. Not only do you have a responsibility to the success of your organization but to the success of every individual who works with you, and your community as a whole. It is a lot of pressure to be able to live up to outside expectations every day.
Being an inspiration has just as many benefits for you as it does the people around you. It is no secret that when you help others, you feel better overall. And inspiration comes in many forms. You don’t have to be Walt Disney or Mahatma Gandhi for others to see your success. You can be an inspiration every day by doing just a few small things.
How to be an inspiring leader
It is easy to tell someone to lead by example, but what does that mean? Most importantly, you must lead your business in the way that is most consistent with your core values. Your company mission statement must be something that you believe in personally and allows you to lead with integrity and confidence.
There are a variety of ways you can demonstrate your leadership ability to your staff without micromanaging or imposing your will on the way they work best. You can inspire your employees to be their most authentic selves.
Start by being a mentor. Allow them to learn from your story. You can provide advice, encouragement, dialogue, ideas and lessons from your experience. They may not always take your advice, but that’s okay too. You’ve given them information to process and have, in turn, allowed them to be inspired toward action. Being a sponsor in the workplace also can help inspire others.
It is also important to learn from your mistakes. One of the biggest challenges many managers have is dealing with errors in the workplace. It is easy to place blame on an outside source or another person, but people with strong leadership skills are willing to take responsibility for their own actions. This can inspire others to learn from and embrace their mistakes if they know that they are truly able to grow.
Honor your own inspirations in your work. Whether your personal inspiration is Steve Jobs or your mom, you can utilize their philosophies to share how you became who you are. No one succeeds in a bubble, so it is okay to acknowledge that some of your best ideas were based on someone else’s hard work. Honor these sources of inspiration and your team will benefit from the collective wisdom.
Avoid these barriers to inspiration
- Confidence and arrogance are not the same thing. It is important that you inspire by being confident, but if you cross the line to arrogance, your message will be easily lost.
- New tools aren’t miracle workers. Have you recently tried a new technology that can’t fail? Before you transition your entire office, spend some time learning if it works for your culture.
- Allow room for growth. Allow your team to be inspired by you, not copy your steps exactly. It is important that their path to success is their own.
Inspiration is a delicate thing and the more you push, the less inspired someone will be. To truly motivate your team toward success you should be open and available to them as they grow professionally.
DeLores Pressley, is a motivational speaker, international keynote speaker, author, confidence coach and the CEO of DeLores Pressley Worldwide and Founder of UP Woman; a movement to empower women leaders. She helps individuals utilize personal power, increase confidence and live a courageous life.
She is the author of “Oh Yes You Can,” “Clean Out the Closet of Your Life,” “Believe in the Power of You” and “EMPOWER.” To book her as a speaker or coach, contact her office at (330) 649-9809 or visit her site at www.delorespressley.com.
