How to Be an Inspiring Leader
A leader’s ability to inspire depends on how well they play three key roles: visionary, exemplar, and mentor. Here’s how to embody each one:
Visionary. People rally around leaders who provide meaning, purpose, and optimism. Your message should be big-picture, values-driven, and simple yet vivid. For example, you might say, “Make our customers smile” instead of “Make our customers happy.” Repetition strengthens clarity, so communicate your vision often. A useful exercise? List your five core values, rank them, and use them to guide your messaging.
Exemplar. Inspiring leaders are calm and courageous, facing danger and protecting others from it. They are also authentically passionate, espousing their ideas and principles with conviction—while also embodying them. Those emotions and behaviors are infectious, encouraging your team to follow your lead and become more resolute, brave, excited, and driven.
Mentor. True leaders elevate others. Delegate responsibility, listen deeply, and give credit when it’s due. Try a simple exercise where you consider a colleague’s perspective—what motivates them? What challenges them? Good mentoring requires understanding that different people have different needs, and really listening to what those needs are.
Read the article: “What Sets Inspirational Leaders Apart,” by Adam D. Galinsky
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SVP, Account Leadership
8 小时前I would add "partner" to round out the list - whether 'in the weeds' or 'rolling up our sleeves' together, a true partnership is what makes up a Team and a genuine Client relationship, well beyond the Scope of work
Ag. Country Director
8 小时前I have been inspired already! Thank you ??
Senior Executive | Skilled in Leadership | Innovation | Business Transformation | Project Delivery | Business Growth
11 小时前Great leaders nail three things: vision, mentoring, and leading by example. But the best? They add emotional intelligence, resilience, humility, decisiveness, authenticity, strong communication, empathy, accountability, courage, and a hunger to keep learning. It’s not just about inspiration, it’s about impact.
Sharing my catalyst mindset to inspire improvement and learning in sponsored programs management- a career that chose me.
11 小时前I’m often reminded of Adam Grant and his journey of overcoming his fear of public speaking. He emphasizes the importance of seeking advice for improvement right after, and I completely agree. As a mentor, I always ask for feedback after each of my sessions. However, I sometimes feel that my mentees don’t take me seriously enough or don’t critically assess my training. I’m genuinely eager to know how I can improve, but I’m not sure how to get the kind of constructive feedback I need. How can I encourage more honest, insightful critiques? Even when writing standard operating procedures, it would be helpful for the team to give feedback- how do we get people on board?
Profficient
11 小时前inspiring and motivational!!!