What Makes a Truly Inspirational Leader?

How do you define successful leadership in the mortgage industry? Does it equate to financial turnover, or the constant strive to reinforce every link in the chain, or the work-division and organization skills, or maybe it’s something entirely different.

Successful leadership can be defined by all of the above, and all of those components I just listed are necessary for effective leadership — but at its core, excellent leadership is defined not by the measurable stats, but by the ties connecting the leader to the team and the team to results. Only with an inspired and highly motivated team will you earn the respect and value you need to manage at the highest level. And in order to reach that goal, you need to adopt (and continually sharpen) the traits of inspiring leaders. Here are a few to keep in mind:

Positivity

There are a surprising number of “leaders” who completely lack this necessary quality. You have to approach every discussion, meeting, and social event as an opportunity to positively reinforce everyone around you. You can tell exemplary employees apart from the average ones based purely on their attitude. The ones full of positive energy are generally the ones who keep the spirit of the whole team high — and it’s the same for the managers. Sharing positive energy costs nothing; all you need is to learn how to cultivate and then maintain this kind of attitude. It's not easy, though, especially during stressful times. Particularly during slow months, for instance. But you're the first stop that people make for motivation, and you can’t let them down.

Empathy

You can’t ever let your role as an executive blind you.?If you're the type of boss who doesn’t really care about the other people in the office, then you're getting leadership all wrong. You have to actively listen to your team, respect their opinions, be understanding, and remain available for discussion. Empathy works in tandem with being fair while also treating people based on their individual merits. Empathy should not be confused as weakness, though — understanding and being perceptive does not include having no respect and not being taken seriously by your peers and subordinates. Set (and clearly communicate) your boundaries, and then stick to them.

Belief

When it comes to your values and beliefs, consistency and a no-exceptions approach are necessities. If you switch your opinions often, and don't always stick with your decision, then you’re risking not being taken seriously — and it’s all downhill from there for people in managerial positions.?Your values should be deeply ingrained in everything you say and do. Explain your motivation and share it with your team. Demonstrate your trust and belief in the product and let it permeate the atmosphere. Nobody has ever inspired others with downbeat presentations and unconvincing talks. You need to find it inside yourself to get (and stay) fired up, and then you’ll see that you’re in the right place leading the right team. And you’ll believe that you’ve truly become an inspirational leader.

If you’re considering a move, I’d love to share some of the terrific opportunities we have available here at Allied Mortgage Group. Don’t hesitate to reach out.