---

Guest post by: Michael Hume Become an Author

Tweet

---

---

Hint: It Brings Out Your Very Best Frances Fox Piven, an elderly former professor and far-left activist, stood before a small group of the protestors currently involved in the "Occupy Wall Street" event. Piven, who in younger days espoused (seriously) a plan to "collapse the system" in America under the weight of big-government entitlements, is something of an icon to the Left. And now her comrades are closer than ever to achieving the goals she's worked for during her career.

As she addressed the gathering, she didn't (as far as I heard) talk about any content, or deliver any ideas, or put forth any argument. What Professor Piven delivered were more like the sort of invocations or prayers you hear in church. And the group, in church-like call-and-response style, repeated after her, word-for-word. It sounded like chanting. Frankly, it sounded monotone and resigned, like a group of zombies.

If you read the professor's work from decades ago, you learn that she was for replacing the American free-market system of capitalism with collectivism and statism, little unlike the systems tried in the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany. But I haven't heard her talking about that these days. At least not with this crowd. Her only exhortations to the Wall Street group have been about pulling the current system down... no mention of what she'd have in its place.

I'll bet there are plenty of protestors occupying Wall Street today who'd describe Frances Fox Piven as an inspirational leader. I don't see it. I see her as an agitator, nothing more. Why? Because every time someone sticks a microphone in the face of one of her occupying followers, they'll tell you what they're against ("everything," as one young man said)... but generally, they don't know what they're for.

The line is sometimes fuzzy between inspirational leadership and run-of-the-mill agitation. When leaders stand on soap boxes and deliver passionate speeches, the words and tone often sound the same. But to me, the difference between agitation and true inspirational leadership is often found over time. If you follow something, and it makes you a better person, it was inspirational leadership. If it brings out your less desirable qualities, it probably wasn't.

Inspirational leadership nourishes your inner Entrepreneur - the part of you that wants to take risks, be creative, build something new, open opportunities for yourself and others, and take care of those around you. Many Entrepreneurs start a business and build wealth. In contrast, agitation brings out and feeds your inner Victim - the part of you that wants to blame others, be destructive, criticize, grab what you can (because you're entitled to whatever you can get), and expect to be taken care of. Many Victims sit in unproductive protest, today in places like Wall Street.

If it's all about what you're supposed to be against, it's agitation. If it's more about what you're for, it could be inspirational leadership. If it incites you to attack people and institutions, it's probably agitation. If it invites you to stand up in defense of people and institutions, or for your deeply-held values and principles, it's probably inspirational leadership.

As you follow along, if you increasingly like the person you are and the person you're becoming, it's inspirational leadership. If you start doing things of which you're not proud, it isn't. And that's the bottom line: inspirational leadership leads you to your best self, over time. Anything that leads you to something less, even if it isn't your absolutely-worst self, falls short of true inspirational leadership.

So if, like many of my clients, you aspire to be an inspirational leader, think about what you're trying to bring out of your followers. Inspire their inner Entrepreneurs, so that they can win the struggle against their inner Victims (a struggle we all face). Talk about positive values and principles, and avoid negative complaints about the world we all have to deal with (complaining won't change the world in a good way, but inspiration might). Be for something, not just against everything. Defend the good more than you attack the bad. Be your best self, in word and deed, and invite others to do the same.

Today, on Wall Street (and every street), there are two types of people. All see The Street as in need of repair. Some are working on The Street... some are just occupying it.

Which will you choose to be today?

Related Articles

  Inspirational Leaders Aren't Angry People
  Great Leadership Requires Inspiration, XVII
  How to Be an Inspiring Leader
  Great Leadership Requires Inspiration, XVIII
  Appreciate Your Adversaries, VII
  Inspirational Leadership: Renew Your Own Passion
  Be An Entrepreneur This Year
  Appreciate Your Adversaries, VI
  Inspirational Leaders Challenge Themselves
  Inspirational Leadership: The Art Of Appreciation
  Do Your People Know You?
  Great Leadership Requires Inspiration, XIX
  Great Leadership Requires Inspiration, III
  Inspirational Leadership: Do It Your Way
  Are You Really Listening?
  Inspirational Leadership: The Art Of Appreciation II
  10 Questions for Inspirational Leadership
  We Can Do This
  Personal Responsibility: Bloom Where You're Planted
  Great Leadership Requires Inspiration, XX

Related Forum Posts

Re: Business Women Peer Mentoring Spotlight
Re: 3 Ways I Used Twitter To Grow My Business This Week
Re: Advisory Boards - Step 3 & 4
Re: LEADERS
Different Hats

Share this article. Fund someone's dream.

Newsletter

Get advice & tips from famous business
owners, new articles by entrepreneur
experts, my latest website updates, &
special sneak peaks at what's to come!

Name:
Email:

Popular Articles

How to Write Your Compelling Vision Statement

Dealing with customer complaints

Suggestions

Email us your ideas on how to make our
website more valuable! Thank you Sharon
from Toronto Salsa Lessons / Classes for
your suggestions to make the newsletter
look like the website and profile younger
entrepreneurs like Jennifer Lopez.