Becoming an Inspirational Leader
Being an inspirational leader is the best way to create enthusiasm, passion, and drive in other people. Leaders who inspire are successful in boosting performance and productivity in their team. Do you feel that you lack what it takes to become an inspirational leader? Do you struggle to inspire and engage those around you?
Having a job title, a position of responsibility, or managing a project requires developing a number of leadership skills. There are many different leadership styles that are effective in different situations. However, being an inspirational leader is effective in any type of leadership role.
In this article, you will learn what it takes to become an inspiring leader. You will also find out that the traits of an effective leader are not something you are born with, but something everyone can develop.
Definitions of Inspiring Leadership
Leadership is defined as acting in a way that motivates others to achieve a specific goal. Inspirational leadership also has to clearly define objectives and goals to make sure that everyone is working towards a common purpose. The idea of inspiring and energizing others is already in the definition of leadership.
So, inspirational leadership is connected with effective communication, problem-solving, and making decisions. In fact, even if you are not a manager or team leader, you can still benefit from aspiring to be a good, strong leader.
Why Develop Your Leadership Skills?
Many people don’t focus on developing skills to become a leader because they think that they don’t have the necessary personality traits.
However, it is important to remember that true, inspired leadership has nothing to do with titles, personality characteristics, or position. Of course, charismatic, domineering, or outgoing persons may have abilities that seem to make them good leaders. They may find it easy to tell others what to do and others may naturally follow them. But inspirational leaders are made, not born.
A study published in the journal Leadership Quarterly found that genetic traits only play a minor role in being a good leader. The study compared identical twins and examined the influence of genetics in leadership qualities. The researchers concluded that 70% of their leadership skills were learned and developed. Only 30% of the differences in their leadership were attributed to genetic factors.
Everyone has what it takes to become an effective, motivating, and inspirational leader.
How to Become a Leader Who Inspires Others
What can you do to develop the necessary skills to be an inspirational leader? Here are 6 ways to inspire others.
The first step to inspiring others is to find out what motivates them and what their values are. Knowing what really excites them and why they enjoy their work can help you appeal to their emotions.
For example, someone who has a partner and children to look after will have completely different values than a single person. Even their idea of what constitutes work-life balance or relaxation will differ greatly.
To be truly inspirational, it is necessary to understand each member of your team. Get to know their emotions, beliefs, and values. This will help you treat everyone fairly and with respect.
For your leadership to be both effective and inspirational, you need to communicate well with those around you.
A study published in the International Journal of Management and Business Studies found that the best leaders are good communicators. Honest, open, and respectful communication fosters a spirit of trust in the leader and team members. This healthy environment then motivates and energizes everyone to be enthusiastic and work harder.
Keys to developing the art of communication include:
Learn the basics of nonverbal communication to project the right message. This also helps you to understand better what others are trying to say.
Be specific, direct and clear so that listeners know what is expected of them.
Ask questions to get more information.
Listen more than you speak.
Good communication requires that you are an active listener and don’t just ‘hear’ what is being said. Paying attention to their body language and the tone of words to help discerning underlying issues.
In reality, without being an active listener, it is impossible to understand others and communicate with them effectively. Actively listening may also mean asking some questions for clarification.
When you really listen, you will focus on the person, not the task and this will go a long way to inspiring others.
Being an inspirational leader requires that you help to further and develop the career of others. Employees or team members who don’t feel their career path is going anywhere are unlikely to feel enthusiastic about their job. Giving new challenges, empowering others to make decisions, and delegating are all ways to encourage development.
So, sometimes showing a little belief and trust in others can go a long way to inspiring them.
The inspirational leader also understands that constructive feedback is an essential part of motivating others. This not only provides direction for your team, but it also gives a chance to give encouragement. As long as it’s genuine, praise, recognition, and even saying thank you are simple ways to inspire others.
Of course, a leader inspires by their own example. So, leadership also requires looking for ways to get feedback from others.
As an effective leader who wants to inspire others, it is important to continue learning and developing your skills. This may mean learning more about how to develop effective workplace relationships, promote innovation within a team, or becoming a good mentor.
There are a number of ways to do this. For example, online tutorials can help learn about more ways to inspire others. Or, you can watch videos on how effective leaders inspire and motivate others. If you are looking for a career in business management, then enrolling in training courses can open up a number of opportunities.
At ELC, we offer courses in leadership and management to boost your career prospects. These vocational education studies help you get all the necessary leadership skills to organise and train others. Studying in a vocational career college also gives you the opportunity to get practical training in leadership skills.