What do employees want most from their executives and leaders? According to a recent worldwide survey conducted by IBM, the three leadership qualities that ranked as the most important were the ability to center on customer needs, the ability to collaborate effectively with colleagues, and the ability to inspire others. As the trait that separates the good from the extraordinary leaders in the business world, the ability to instill inspiration in people creates the highest levels of employee satisfaction, engagement, and loyalty.

When employees are more dedicated to the mission and vision of their leaders, the entire organization benefits from a positive motivation boost, increase in productivity, and eventually a jump in sales. Since it is clear that the ability to inspire people to reach great heights of performance and success is an essential skill that all leaders need to truly make a huge difference in other people’s lives, read on to find out more about how to become a more effective leader by enabling motivation in the people you lead.

Disclosure: This content may contain a few affiliate links, which means if you click on them, I will get a commission (without any extra cost to you).

How to Become a More Inspirational Leader

While the business world seems to increasingly place an importance on measuring talent, it is common to simply overlook the crucial role that inspiration plays in our abilities. Yet, inspiration is an extremely powerful emotion that awakens new possibilities with us to rise above our usual limitations, propel us from negativity to positivity, and transform the way we perceive our surroundings and capabilities. So, how can an average leader transcend to become a highly effective leader that is able to communicate their passion and create an inspirational workplace?

As the great Harvey McKay once said, “A mediocre person tells. A good person explains. A superior person demonstrates. A great person inspires others to see for themselves.” One of the most important components of being an inspirational leader lies in communicating your passion and purpose in a way that enables others to share that drive too. Often times, sharing your own mission and vision for a project will inspire others to feel as if their work has meaning beyond the tasks that they perform on a daily basis. Communicating the big picture behind your organization will help reinforce their purpose and inspire them to make significant contributions.

Since communication must be a two-way street, inspirational leaders must also go above and beyond to listen to the people in their organization. While sharing your own enthusiasm may seem like it is enough, it is also crucial that you share the motivation by allowing employees to incorporate their own ideas and thoughts because no one is ever truly supportive of a project they did not participate in. When people see their ideas integrated, they are more likely to feel intimately connected to the business and develop higher levels of engagement in ensuring that all company goals are accomplished.

Furthermore, becoming an inspirational leader must start with developing a strong sense of reliability because employees must trust you in order to feel inspired. People tend to develop a stronger connection with leaders who tell the truth and treat them with the integrity they deserve. While the leadership you provide is important, your own personal characteristics and qualities are even more so for gaining the trust needed for inspiration. Leaders who are more adept at forming these emotional connections with their subordinates have the greatest chance at being perceived as an effective and inspiring role model.

Kamere: My Source of Inspiration for Effective Leadership

Whenever I am searching for a refreshed supply of inspiration, I turn towards one of the most amazing new resources for finding the motivation to move towards something. As a social inspiration startup that is impacting the world with positive messages, Kamere aims to spread enthusiasm around the world to inspire people to take action by sharing, getting involved in, or supporting something they truly believe in. On Kamere, you can stumble across the most inspirational images, articles, quotes, and videos from across the Internet as a vehicle to starting an inspiration revolution.

Personally, one of the most moving videos that has had a profound impact on my leadership style told the tale of Erik Weihenmeyer, who has accomplished goals that most people in this world could ever dream of achieving. Not only is Erik one of the few individuals to climb all of the seven tallest mountains on Earth, but he is the only blind person to ever accomplish this. Watching as Erik overcomes adversity and disability to reach the highest points has truly inspired me to never give up because true commitment and dedication have the power to accomplish even the most daunting tasks in business or life in general.

Learning to Motivate Others through Inspirational Quotes

From the tremendous amounts of inspiration that have been instilled in me from Kamere, I have decided to develop a new section on my website devoted to the inspirational quotes that have instilled motivation within me to be a better leader. As I add new quotes on a weekly basis, my goal is to also inspire you to go the extra mile for motivating your employees and refining your skills to become a more successful leader. Not only can a great quote provide personal inspiration within yourself, but it can also be beneficial to educate those around you.

Since the most vital first step to being an inspirational leader is being inspired yourself, I strongly encourage you to read through this section of inspirational quotes and open yourself up for reflection on their deeper meanings. Then, be sure to share them with others around you, establish an inspirational culture in your organization, and come back often to continue receiving the drive to become a better leader.

Most importantly, always remember, “Coaching is not a great mystery. It’s just hard work, determination, and inspiration at the right moment.” – Bob Zuppke

6 Comments

  1. I definitely agree with the sentiment that to be a properly inspirational leader, you have to be willing to go above and beyond. All the leaders I’ve known in my life have excelled at this.

    Nice article, thanks very much!

  2. Josh St. Aubin says:

    I totally agree with you Shane. Great leaders inspire people beyond the financial aspects of their jobs and are able to get more out of people not because they feel obligated, but because they would do anything and everything in their power to help that person.

    1. Shane Barker says:

      Thanks for stopping by Josh and I agree, true loyalty can go a long way!

  3. Brain Maschak says:

    I’m liking your content.

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