Are leadership and inspiration natural bed fellows?
If a leader is able to inspire people to act in a certain way, then this can certainly improve their overall success as a leader. However, there are many leaders that don’t actually possess the ability to inspire, and this is something that could make them less successful in the workplace.
Many wrongfully assume that having a certain job title will automatically encourage a team to follow you, but this is only part of the story. As well as having the position within the company, leaders also need to be able to inspire people, as this is what encourages them to provide the highest possible standard of work. There are some qualities that can make people into better, more inspirational leaders, which we have described below.
A passion for the company’s mission
If a leader isn’t passionate about the mission they’re encouraging their team to work towards, then they will find it very hard to inspire. If company leaders actively show that the company mission matters to them, it is more likely that they will inspire the team to feel the same way.
Be a good listener
A good leader is one who is able to listen as well as speak, as this is something that can make employees feel as though they have great value within the company. You should listen to the ideas of your team, and allow your decisions to be shaped to some extent by these ideas – as you can often gain your most valuable insights from your employees.
Include your team in key decisions
If you want to inspire people to care about the work that they do, they need to be included in company decisions that are being made. Whether that is offering voting forms on decisions, or holding meetings where opinions can be aired, the important thing is that your team are listened to, and involved as much as possible.
Try to satisfy your employees’ wants where possible
It is vital that your team are happy at work, or they won’t feel inspired at all. This means listening to what they want from you and, where possible, granting their wishes. Of course, this isn’t going to be possible all of the time, however if they feel like you are willing to give them what they need, they will feel much more positively towards you and the company as a whole.
By taking the steps above to be a positive leader, it is more likely that you will be able to inspire those on your team. A happy workforce is a productive workforce, so to really make the most of the people you’re hiring, taking the above into account could help a lot.