The Anatomy of Inspiration
Evaluate leaders on their ability to inspire. If I surveyed your team, would they say you inspire them?
Any fool can suck the life out of people.
Successful leaders aspire to inspire.
*Bob Chapman, co-author of, “Everybody Matters,” asked me, “Dan, don’t you think leadership is about inspiration?”
Demotivational leaders:
- Walk around with frowns.
- Neglect purpose while emphasizing results.
- Express doubt and distrust.
- Talk more than listen.
- Criticize more than affirm. Demotivational leaders fear celebration.
- Cling to power and authority.
- Treat people like tools. Demotivational leaders use people.
- Show disrespect. 78% of people who experience disrespect at work are less committed to their organization.
- Use isolation to enhance status.
- Believe everything centers on them.
It’s easy to drain energy; successful leaders ignite and fuel it.
The anatomy of inspiration:
Bob Chapman inspired me.
Bob’s jubilant enthusiasm for Truly Human Leadership made me feel like I’d been to church. When I told him I was waiting for the offering plate, he basically said that I was the offering.
I notice four components to inspiration.
#1. Passion is contagious. Find your mission! Even the Blues Brothers were on a mission from God.
I told Bob, during our conversation, that he needed to calm down. He blurted an expletive and said, Don’t tell me to slow down. I’m too old to slow down.
#2. See greatness in others. You can’t impose inspiration. It comes from within.
It’s impossible to find inspiration in our weaknesses. Say, “You’re great at …,” if you want to inspire.
#3. Focus people’s strengths on meaningful vision. Ask questions that challenge people to use their greatness to make a difference. “What are you going to do about that?”
Don’t tell, ask.
#4. Talk about the importance of the vision with others in mind.
Choose inspiration over motivation.
Listen to Bob inspire me (3:45):
What do leaders do to demotivate? Inspire?
How might you step toward being an inspirational leader today?
*Bob is Chairman and CEO of Barry-Wehmiller, a combination of nearly 70 acquired companies valued at approximately $2 billion with 9,000 employees.
Pre-order: Everybody Matters. (MUST READING!)
Book website: www.everybodymattersbook.com
Twitter: @barrywehmiller
I love your article. When I started my business, I felt I was on a “Mission from God” just like the blues brothers.
I started an IT Company and was literally on the ground floor at 22, not opening my first shop till I was 25. I then made poor decisions with employees and restarted 8 years. I feel everything was just a learning experience and now I am 30 instead of being in business for 8 years. I have been in business for 1.
Any input would be useful. Very good and meaningful article!
Thanks All. I respect your candor and your journey. Suggestions? Read Bob’s book. 🙂 Seriously, it’s worth the read. He shares his own journey of mistakes and successes.
The link to hear how Bob inspires you shows up empty. Is that on my end?? Or did an empty link accidentally get inserted?
Hi Sacha. It works on my end. If you’re on mobile, you may need to allow it time to download? Hope that helps.
It does not work for me and I am not on mobile.
The link is broken on my computer – I’m not mobile
The audio came through clearly on my iPad. It’s all about questions: When efforts are succeeding, it’s “That’s great, how can we expand them, improve them even more?” When those efforts are struggling, it’s “Tough issue, what can be done to turn things around?”
I loved in the audio link when Dan said, “I’ve felt myself rise up” to your inspiration. That’s really the thing: that people become more confident, more of what they are meant to be, just MORE… as a result of our leadership. That’s inspirational leadership.
Can’t hear the audio : (
Ah ha! You’ve been reading my mail again, haven’t you? You and Bob are on my A List. Nicely done..
Another great article Dan. I’d like to share this.
Love this article.
“Talk more than listen.” .. very good
The greatest way to be inspiring is to be inspired.
Absolutely love this article. If only I could just inject this kind of thinking into all the managers I develop and have them get it! Thank you both.
Nice article to all leaders. Inspiration is a great to make employees motivated and make things done. Leadership without inspiration is just like a technique without procedures. Thank you for sharing.
Absolutely agree 1000% with this message! Leadership is about inspiration and helping others find their passion in life. I’ve always firmly believed that just because someone works for me, doesn’t mean that I won’t help with their passion if it is to work in another field or another place. If it moves you, then I’m going to support you making whatever “move” you need to, to find true fulfillment in your professional life. It’s about supporting and caring for the people we encounter in our lives, without needing something from them in return.
Agree on all points except the question ‘if i ask the team members . . .’ as a leader believes the importance of the individuals and not relating back to him i.e., the team members will be inspired because of the environment created & confidence built by the leader without directly acknowledging that it was done by the leader. This would be selfless leader.
I was struck most by “Choosing inspiration over motivation.” I feel like in our work we seek to motivate employees more than inspire them. But are we limiting ourselves and others by focusing our resources on motivation? Does motivation mean we just push employees to achieve the goals we give them? I feel like motivation is an extrinsic approach. Employees achieve goals because they are driven by others and the organization. Where inspiration feels like it comes from within, and inspiring employees means we support them to find their own motivation. Motivation runs dry, but inspiration keeps flowing. We can be motivated by money or out of fear or repercussions. But employees aren’t inspired by money or inspired out of fear of those consequences. It’s a deeper feeling and more individualized to what is most meaningful for that person. Leaders must understand what is inspiring is a deeply personal connection. Inspiration can be more difficult than providing simple motivation. If that connection is made with the organization, it can provide a great deal of motivation along with it.