Leaders know what they value. They also recognize
the importance of ethical behavior. The best leaders exhibit both their values
and their ethics in their leadership style and actions. The leadership values I
value are Integrity, Empowerment, Empathy, and Optimism & Accountability.
The inspirational leader feels passionately about the vision and mission of the
organization. He is also able to share that passion in a way that enables
others to feel passionate, too. The nature of the vision and mission is
critical for enabling others to feel as if their work has purpose and meaning
beyond the tasks they perform each day. Sometimes leaders have to help their
staff connect the dots by explaining this big picture to all. Communicating the
big picture regularly will help reinforce the reason your organization exists.
The inspirational leader listens to the people in her organization. Talking to people about
your passion is not enough. To “share meaning” - my definition for
communication - you must allow the ideas and thoughts of your staff to help
form the vision and mission, or minimally, the goals and action plan. No one is
ever one hundred percent supportive of a direction they had no part in
formulating. People need to see their ideas incorporated – or understand why
they were not.
To experience inspiration, people also need to feel
included. Inclusion goes beyond the listening and feedback; for real inclusion,
people need to feel intimately connected to the actions and process that are
leading to the accomplishment of the goals or the decision.
Important to inspiration is the integrity of the person leading. Yes, vision and passion are important, but employees must trust you to feel inspired. They must believe in you. Your “person” is as important as the direction you provide. Employees look up to a person who tells the truth, tries to do the right things, lives a "good" life and does their best. Trust me. Your actions play out on the stage of your organization. And, your staff does boo and cheer and vote with their feet and their actions.
Important to inspiration is the integrity of the person leading. Yes, vision and passion are important, but employees must trust you to feel inspired. They must believe in you. Your “person” is as important as the direction you provide. Employees look up to a person who tells the truth, tries to do the right things, lives a "good" life and does their best. Trust me. Your actions play out on the stage of your organization. And, your staff does boo and cheer and vote with their feet and their actions.
Finally, an inspirational leader gives people what
they want within his capabilities. The inspirational leader also understands
that, while money is a motivator, so are praise, recognition, rewards, a thank
you and noticing an individual’s contribution to a successful endeavor.
