Inspiration
We find it hard to define and even harder to grasp. Yet we all know when we are inspired, and we certainly feel it when we are not. Employees want their managers to be inspiring. It would be so much easier if they told you to be on time, to speak louder in meetings, or provide them with more stationery, but what has this to do with inspiration?
Inspiration wears many faces, and in fact is as individual as our DNA. What inspires one person does not necessarily inspire another. There are, however, common threads that can be found which seem to stir the hearts of most of the population.
Let’s look at some examples to see what we can glean about inspiration.
A salesman struggling to make ends meet watches the movie The Pursuit of Happiness. After the movie he is so inspired by the true story of Chris Gardner that he vows to double his efforts the next day in an attempt to succeed. The story helps him summon from within a determination and a resolve not to give up.
A football team is down by three touchdowns at half-time. Deflated by the enormity of the challenge ahead, players secretly wonder if they can pull it off. The coach’s message reminds them they can do this, including words like “believe” and “focus”. He may even remind them of all the times it has been done before. The team gets inspired because they have renewed their belief in their ability. With the attitude of “Yes we can,” they charge out on to the field inspired.
When we read a story of someone who displayed integrity and courage by standing up for what they believed in, we are inspired by their example. Integrity and courage are two values the general population holds in high esteem.
A leader displays a passionate enthusiasm on a project. Whenever they enter the room the energy level is raised. People like to be around them because their enthusiasm is infectious. Their staff is inspired by their energy because deep inside they also want to be excited about the work they do.
We could go on forever with examples of inspiration, but you will notice a few common threads. Inspiration is about perspective shift. When someone shifts our perspective from our current train of thought to a more optimistic and positive outlook, we often feel inspired. This is seen in the football example above. The coach helped direct the thoughts of the team from their current reality to a more optimistic and positive perspective. Essentially the coach helped the players renew their belief in themselves and the team.
A lot of inspiration is helping individuals and teams regain the original beliefs they had about their ability.
The other component of inspiration is the powerful force of modeling or example. When leaders model the values and behavior that people want and need, they become inspiring. The examples above of Chris Gardner, or the enthusiastic manager illustrate the truth that we are all seeking role models. The ones who inspire us are those modeling either values we hold dear, or the ones who exhibit behaviors we need at that moment.
Breaking down inspiration like this leads to a couple of questions:
1. What behaviors do I most need to model right now for my employees?
Is it enthusiasm, passion, optimism, or determination? Maybe it is a fighter spirit, or a work ethic, or a commitment to excellence. The question is, what do they need to see, and how will I be the picture?
2. What perspective or belief shift do my people need at this present moment? In
what areas have they stopped believing in their own abilities or the team’s?
It is amazing how in one conversation we can help direct people’s thoughts and beliefs. What do you need to say in your next team meeting? What do you need to say to Jane who is struggling with a mountain of debt? What do you need to say to Sam who is worried about his job security? What do you need to say to your newest hire to boost their confidence? Inspiring leaders help people believe in what they need to.
No matter how much we want to create great systems for managing people, at the end of the day it comes back down to setting the example and modeling the way. Leadership is still about people, and inspiration is one of the fuels we all need in our life at various times.
Now the real question is how do I as a leader get inspired? Ah, that’s the million-dollar question and one that we will answer in part II. However, not wanting to leave you empty- handed, I will give you one hint. As we set our minds on becoming an inspiring boss, a remarkable transformation begins to happen inside of us…we begin to get inspired about what we are doing because deep inside we reconnect to that value of making a difference for those we lead.
**Don't miss our Live Call from Base Camp where we will be talking about the principles of Inspirational Leadership.
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