128 / TAKING UP YOUR LEADERSHIP ROLE
Inspiring and encouraging
Setting a good example
One of the basic rules of leadership is that
in order to inspire others you must aspire
to be a model of excellence yourself. Your
personal journey toward excellence will
never end, but it will give you two vital
qualities—the desire to learn, and, in turn,
that will lead to the humility of knowing
how much more you have to learn.
Your role is all about providing
inspiration, and that starts with a
clear vision for a better future, which
you will need to communicate to
your team on a daily basis through
your words and actions:
•
Make it clear to others that they have
the capability and power to make a
difference—that their unique
attributes can help achieve the vision.
•
Bring hope for the future to sustain
people through change and adversity;
if people feel overwhelmed and slow
down, bring them back to the vision
with simple messages that show the
next small steps forward.
•
Point out progress made and signs of
success on the way to fill people once
again with confidence and the desire
to go forward.
•
Praise new ideas and the courage
demonstrated in new ventures.
•
Keep team members stretched—
one step ahead of what they thought
they could do.
•
Keep positive: explain that most
experiments that do not work are not
failures—just feedback; turn setbacks
into positive impetus for change.
From the way they formulate and express their overarching vision to
the thought that they put into everyday interactions, which is the glue
of any team relationship, you will find that leaders encourage and
inspire others around them at every level of activity.
How to inspire through
your vision
State your vision in highly
positive terms
Your role is about providing
inspiration, and that starts
with a clear vision for a
better future
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INSPIRING AND ENCOURAGING / 129
interaction you have. Give them your
full attention whether you are speaking
face-to-face or on the phone. Be
dependable in your daily interactions:
your consistency builds trust and peace
of mind in your team members, freeing
them to focus on their key tasks rather
than worrying about you.
Focusing on the now
Inspiring people is less about delivering
impassioned speeches and having a
forceful personality, and more about
focus and consistency. Treat everyone
you deal with as a valued customer.
Place them at the center of your
universe for the duration of any
Taking opportunities
Think how many opportunities you have in a single
day to interact with your team, colleagues, bosses,
and other stakeholders. Over 100 contacts a day—by
phone, email, face-to-face, etc.—is not unusual for
today’s busy leaders and managers. Each of these
interactions is an opportunity to encourage, inspire,
and make your leadership felt.
When you make every meeting count, you create
thousands of potential advocates for you, your team,
your vision, and your organization. Moments add up
to real commercial gain.
ZAP, DON’T
SAP
At every meeting,
give people a
zap—a quick
burst of energy—
and avoid the
sap—anything
that leaves them
discouraged.
Tip
Telling someone you enjoy working
with them
Smiling at people—sincerely, with
your eyes
Thanking others for honest
feedback
Controlling your emotions
Complaining to someone that you
feel tired or ill
Being too shy to enjoy life or try
new things
Excusing your falling standards
Demotivating others just because
you feel demotivated
BEING POSITIVE
Do’s Don’ts
Encourage others to enrich
the vision by describing
success in their own terms
Contextualize the vision—
describe when, where, and
with who it will be achieved
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