Edition 20: What Do Employees Need? The Gift of Inspiration

A lot has been written about what inspiring leaders DO. From their moving speeches to their magnetic ability to connect. How could you dismiss their powers of persuasion? We often picture inspiring leaders as fearless and attractive because we see them in the movies defeating all odds. As you look around your workplace, you may find it hard to see all that much charisma oozing from one individual.?

But inspiration comes in many forms, through many behaviors and varying approaches.

If you look, you will see its influence in both big and small ways. In our research, we not only studied how to become inspiring but what OTHERS BECOME as a result of that inspiration.?

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe eloquently described the power and influence of inspiring leaders when he wrote:

I have come to the frightening conclusion that I am the decisive element.?

It is my personal approach that creates the climate.?

It is my daily mood that makes the weather.?

I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration?

I can humiliate or humor, hurt or heal.?

Years ago, we shared a list of the EFFECTS of INSPIRATION in a book I co-authored called The Inspiring Leader. We have created an eBook called “Inspiring in the New Era” as a gift this holiday season. You can download it here to read some of the compiled research.?

THE INSPIRATIONAL EFFECT

Inspiring leaders create new attitudes and emotions in others, such as:

Confidence- The overall level of confidence that everyone has is part of the culture of the organization. Inspiring leaders are the driving force in that culture and in nurturing self-efficacy in individual performance.

Albert Bandura, a Stanford Professor of psychology, studied self-efficacy and confidence. He discovered that “People who have a strong belief in their capabilities think, feel, and behave differently from those who have doubts about their capabilities.” Leaders can be important proponents of building self-confidence and helping others believe that if they are brave enough to attempt something, they will succeed.?

Optimism/Hope- Inspiring leaders share the way people feel about the future in the broadest and most profound way. Optimism can be learned and magnified through practice. Working in an organization where people see the bright side is a night and day difference from being involved with those who can see only the dark side.?

Initiative- Do you do the most or seek to do the least? Inspiring leaders create a climate that allows people to experiment and feel ownership and rewards initiative in ways that encourage this behavior to flourish.

Jack Zenger shared the following personal experience with initiative in?The Inspiring Leader?book:

“An executive from a large San Francisco bank came by my hotel, picked me up, and took me to his office for a meeting we’d be holding at his building. We parked in the underground lot beneath the building; My friend mentioned, “You’ll get a kick out of our garage attendant.” So, I was alert to see what set this attendant apart from the norm. While most attendants greeted customers with a nod or a grunt, this person was absolutely effusive. He greeted us by name and acted as if we were old high school classmates he hadn’t seen in 20 years. He asked about our plans for the day so that he’d know where best to park the car. He escorted us to the elevator bank, pressed the button to get an elevator car, and sent us on our way. He had taken a job that some would see as being on the menial end of the spectrum and made it into a calling. He injected himself into his work and brightened everyone’s day in the process.”?

Responsibility- Inspiring leaders convey the message that people are what counts, and they are there to do the blocking and tackling for the employees. When leaders own up to their mistakes, the pattern is established for others to do the same thing.

Enthusiasm- Imagine if 80% of employees expressed a high level of enthusiasm for their work and the organization. To change emotion, you must change behavior. When people learn to act in new ways, it changes their inner feelings. Inspiring leaders spread their enthusiasm to those around them.

Resilience- Inspiring leaders instill an emotional "hardiness" within others. Research shows that resilient leaders have greater composure in stressful situations; they do not blame others, snap at direct reports, or berate others for some actions. They were able to bounce back from hard times. Inspiring leaders are powerful role models, and observing their willingness to accept reality and work to improve and adapt to circumstances helps others do the same.

I hope this list of how inspiring leaders influence others motivates you to act. I encourage you to choose one thing you can do to inspire others this holiday season. One thing that brings someone hope, one that will spark their enthusiasm, or one that will build their confidence.?

Your friendly neighborhood psychometrician,?

Joe Folkman?

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