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Guest post by: Michael Hume Become an Author

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Get Inspired, And Get On With Inspiring Others

It's time to get on with it. If you, like most of my coaching clients, seek to be a more inspirational leader - do it. Start by doing what it takes to get yourself personally inspired, then find your own brand of inspirational leadership, then commit yourself to the daily practice of inspiring your team and the others in your life.

Plant the seeds of personal inspiration by counting your blessings, and the many victories in your life that you should (but might not) fully appreciate. Cultivate your "garden of inspiration" by continuing to put positive, uplifting things into your mind and heart - read things that inspire you, write (and occasionally re-read) a journal of your inspirations, and watch and listen to media programs that lift you up (minimizing the ones that leave you down). Interact with other inspired, passionate people. And remember: motivation and performance can come from a variety of places, but true inspiration comes from what I can only describe as God. If you want to be inspired, but don't believe in God, maybe it's time to take a fresh look at what you believe - and why.

Examine your past - and all the dragons you've slain (and the others who've helped you slay them). Look around at the blessings that surround you today. And dream. Use your imagination to concoct an inspiring future, and then go for it. So-so or rookie leaders use up their imagination in worry (which, if you think about it, is essentially "negative goal setting" used to construct the worst possible future and then focus on it). Use your imagination to ignite your passion for a GREAT future.

See, great leaders have a passion for their mission, and they are able to convey that to their team. They're turned-on people, and they are therefore able to help turn on the passion in others. They use their memory and journal to build an inventory of powerful, practical, time-efficient stories they can tell to lift up the folks around them (and which, when told, renew their own inspiration). They're sensitive, empathetic listeners who seem to invite others to ignite their own passion by telling them THEIR stories. And great leaders are bold enough to share their instant inspirations, even when they seem crazy.

If you're an inspirational leader, you're a wonderful communicator. You converse responsively, making sure to invite your counterpart's input and not to dominate the "air time." You are assertive - able to be accurate, brief, clear, and direct in your own expressions - but you're equally empathetic and sensitive, balancing appreciation for yourself and your counterpart to develop a peer-like relationship. You exert powerful influence on others, because (not in spite) of your willingness to be influenced by them and to have a truly open mind.

As a happy consequence of inspirational leadership, folks who work with a great leader generally enjoy their work and their co-workers. Great leaders handle both aggressive and passive-aggressive conflict extremely well, and are often able to turn the conflict to collaboration to maximize team harmony. Great leaders invest their time and energy in coaching their people, both directly (by teaching and advising) and indirectly (by asking great questions and getting the coachee to coach himself). As a result, people always want to work for the inspired leader, because they know they'll experience their best growth and become inspirational leaders themselves.

All great, inspirational leaders have well-developed awareness - of themselves, of others, and of the dynamic circumstances surrounding their business or mission. And all great leaders can be recognized by their vision - their unparalleled sense of purpose, and their ability to convey that vision and sense of purpose to others.

Among the greatest leaders - the ones who are personally-inspired dreamers, great communicators, effective coaches and harmonizers, and visionaries with a mission - there are a variety of effective inspirational leadership "brands." Some start with their care for others and their personal commitment to the success of their people. Others lead first from a place of upbeat, positive energy that fills the team with great (though achievable) expectations. Still others begin with courage and conviction, and inspire others to help them charge the hill! There are probably as many effective "brands" of inspirational leadership as there are great inspirational leaders. What's your brand?

You are a great, inspirational leader. If you need coaching to help you maximize your ability to perform as the great leader you are, feel free to drop me a line. But with or without coaching, set your mind to making sure your daily activity promotes the inspiration, passion, and purpose in yourself and in those around you. Great leadership requires inspiration... and you've got it!

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