Inspiring Leadership - why is the ocean mightier than the rivers? (Lao Tzu)

Are YOU proactive in delivering inspiring leadership?

Are the people around you (e.g. at work, at home, in your community) stimulated by YOU to grow, develop, achieve and be willing followers?

Are they highly motivated when around you? (click here for some motivation theories).

Is it one of your self help self improvement goals?

Click here for some inspiring leadership quotes

This issue emerged as a major need when the U.K. Department of Trade and Industry carried out an "Innovation Review: Competing in the Global Economy: the Innovation Challenge" in 2003.

What has this got to do with YOUR self improvement?

Well, if you are a formal leader in an organisation (e.g. a manager), the lessons from this review of U.K. industry will have direct significance for you in helping you to improve how you lead and influence others.

If you are not as above, you are an informal leader (e.g. in your family, community, sports team or club etc. If you are a parent, you are the informal type, big time), and you will be able to boost your self improvement by learning from this research report.

This substantial review included:

* a comprehensive literature review

* personal interviews with 38 top leaders nominated by their peers as having achieved exceptional results

* two separate studies among followers from the management population

* an e-survey with 568 respondents followed by telephone interviews with 100 managers to explore in more detail some of the key issues raised by the quantitative research.

What were the major findings?

THE SIX ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS OF “INSPIRING LEADERS” ARE THAT THEY:

1. GENUINELY CARE ABOUT THEIR PEOPLE

2. INVOLVE EVERYBODY

3. SHOW LOTS OF APPRECIATION

4. ENSURE WORK IS FUN

5. SHOW REAL TRUST & COMMITMENT

6. LISTEN A LOT

When asked what they wanted from their chiefs, followers said:

* a genuine shared vision

* real confidence and trust in them

* respect

* commitment to helping them develop and grow

* high standards of ethics and integrity

* a willingness to take risks

Inspiring Leaders described their key behaviours as:

* Communicate strongly, especially storytelling & listening

* Are passionate about learning and have intense curiosity

* Focus on developing people (e.g. coaching)

* Have fun and are very energised

* Have strong self belief, coupled with humanity & humility

* Are committed to giving something back & making a significant difference

* Have clarity of vision & ability to share it

* Have dogged determination and are often relentless

* Have a very strong focus on priorities

* Are not afraid to show some vulnerability

* Recognise the use of reflective periods

* Dislike the use of jargon

* Have passion for and pride in what they do

So, what do you think so far?

If you wish, you can use the above findings to take a "look in the mirror".

How do you stack up against the above?

Self appraisal is always a bit tricky - we don't always see ourselves as others see us.

You might want to get some feedback to aid your self improvement.

Finally, some definitions that are really interesting, especially for the informal types / parents:

INSPIRATION – stimulation of mental or emotional faculties to a high level of feeling, animation or creative activity

INSPIRE – to animate the mind or emotions – to stimulate or impel to a particular feeling or action – to rouse latent energies

Lao Tzu asked, "why is the ocean mightier than the rivers?"

Answer: because it lies lower than they.

Think about it.

Click here to see some motivational phrases and motivation quotes.

Inspiring leadership, both formal and informal, should be a key
self improvement goal.
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