---

Guest post by: Michael Hume Become an Author

Tweet

---

---

To Be Inspiring, First Be Yourself If you want to be a more inspirational leader, as do most of my clients, you first have to be inspired. It's natural to think of inspirational role models who've helped ignite your passion for what you do (whether you own your own business or toil in the service of an organization) and think, "I want to do what he does," or "I want to be more like her." That might work... but a lot of the time, it doesn't.

Put twenty earnest leaders in a room, and you'll have twenty different "right answers" on how to be more inspirational. I know - I've done it many times. And when you have leaders work together for a few days and then ask each other what they found inspiring about their colleagues, the answers generally cause everything from mild surprise to stunning revelation.

The guy who's been inspired by the thundering "evangelist" type, and who's trying to pull off the same style without the tool kit (or grey hair) wielded by his role model, is often disappointed to learn he's not inspiring his colleagues - who are really looking for inspiration in him. Meanwhile, the reserved woman who's done nothing all week but execute her work, quietly encourage her teammates, and listen well to what her colleagues had to say - she's usually stunned to find she's the most inspiring leader in the room.

I'm not saying "loud" or speech-making inspiration doesn't work - it does, for many leaders. But the folks for whom that style works are the ones who found their own loud voice as a true part of their personality, not the people who wear the style like a theatrical costume.

Think about all the people who've inspired you, and try to make a list of the attributes, actions, and words they used to make you want to excel. If someone did something that really inspired you to be your best, it's obviously a legitimate "tool" of inspirational leadership... but that doesn't mean it's the right tool for you as you seek to inspire others. Borrow from other leaders, sure, but make certain you never stray far from the center of the person you are.

Not that it's easy, but the best (and most simple) way to inspire others is to stay inspired yourself, and let the natural event of role-modeling "do the work." True, you can skill-up, especially with excellent leadership coaching (give me a call, if you like). But you have to start from your authentic self. If you lose that center, you're not going to inspire a lot of great things from a lot of teammates.

Related Articles

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

Related Forum Posts

Re: Business Women Peer Mentoring Spotlight
Re: 3 Ways I Used Twitter To Grow My Business This Week
Re: LEADERS
Different Hats
Why A Project Fails?

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

Resolving A Conflict Between Two Sales Staffs

International Employment Background Checks

Compassion or indifference?

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.