subject: A Few First Steps Toward Inspirational Leadership [print this page] A Few First Steps Toward Inspirational Leadership
Start By Eliminating Uninspiring Actions
by Michael D. Hume, M.S.
As you may know, a primary concern among my coaching clients is figuring out how they can develop more inspirational leadership. Some own a business, others are managers or find themselves in other positions of responsibility. In these tough times, when too many people are too busy handling their fears and anxieties to think about what goals and pursuits might excite them, leaders can't ignore any tools that might help them inspire their teams.
One of the first bits of advice I can give my clients is that they will not begin to develop a reputation for inspirational leadership until they eliminate (or significantly reduce) the things they do that actually de-motivate the very people they're trying to inspire. Many managers, knowingly or unknowingly, fall into patterns of behavior their teams find uninspiring. Here are some of the more common patterns, and what you can do to stay out of the traps and move toward inspirational leadership.
Cultivate a positive mindset toward your team. If you have the general attitude that your employees are cheating, stealing, lazy people, you will rule with an iron fist, and it will be impossible to motivate your folks. I'm not saying there aren't bad employees - there are definitely people who don't bring their best to work, for whatever reason - and the least-favorite part of my clients' work usually deals with disciplining (and hopefully transitioning out) such people. And you do have to do that from time to time. But if you find you're dealing with a disproportionate number of bad apples, consider the notion that you might be making some negative assumptions about folks which, over time, amount to self-fulfilling prophesies. Most (not all) people will pick up on your attitude toward them, and give you what you expect - whether that's success, or trouble.
Don't hide behind your authority, or that of your boss. You need to be very sparing with your use of "do it because I said so," or "I have to make you do this because my boss said so." That's weak leadership, and can actually be destructive when overused. When you run into resistance to your programs, try to talk to your people (especially the key "attitude leaders" on the team) and find out what's behind it. Use "we" a lot, and remember to keep a positive mindset. A good conversation starter might be something like this: "We do have these rules (or pressures, or competitive threats, whatever), and we have to stick to our plan to make the business work. I'd really value your opinion (or, even, your coaching) on how I can help with whatever's getting in the way of the team sticking to the program." Offer to revisit the program with the management team if your folks give you some good reasons - and expect that they will.
Ask more than you tell. MANY problems can be avoided if your team members feel like they had a hand in creating the plan or program in the first place - so it hurts nothing to present the business unit's challenges and ask for your team's input on what sort of plan would overcome them. Don't get argumentative, but if your folks come up with ideas your experience tells you won't work, make your case logically and ask if what you're saying makes sense. Try to stay in a give-and-take mode. If you can, have these input sessions with the whole team, so they can piggy-back on each others' ideas. If you have one or two non-believers whom you suspect of wanting to foment unrest, though, meet with each of your team members one-on-one, and think about the best order in which to have those meetings. Importantly, don't talk about people who aren't present in any of those meetings.
Leaders who do these things may not be perceived as the most inspirational, but I find that leaders who enact the opposite behaviors are usually completely blocked in their efforts to create a happy, inspired team. When thinking of your team's general attitude and inspiration, it's best to take a cue from your doctor: first and foremost, do no harm.
