You know how there are some leaders you just want to work hard for? You can see yourself in their vision, understand how your work is critical to the mission, and you feel oddly compelled to be in their physical presence--you may even want to touch them? (Weird right? No. It's wonderfully human.) Chances are the leaders that make you feel this way are inspirational leaders, transformational leaders. Their magic lies in their ability to engage you emotionally, to build trust and confidence, and to fan the flames of tribe. Oh! You’d run through a burning ring of fire for that kind of leader.
Now, before getting too nostalgic and emotional about inspirational leaders, this transformational style of leadership is perfect for some situations and perfectly awful for others.
Abraham Lincoln, one of the best known inspirational leaders, was also a micromanager. He was so far in the weeds sometimes that it drove his team nuts. Tactically, he often showed himself to be indecisive. But strategically, he was brilliant. His leadership style was perfectly suited to rally the nation but not right for managing the daily grind.
What was it about his style that made him an effective leader? What characteristics make an effective inspirational or transformational leader? They can tell a good story and they understand the value of the story. They can set and articulate a vision in a manner that others can see themselves in it and rally to the cause of that vision. Inspirational leaders display courage and conviction. They admit their faults and learn from their mistakes. They demonstrate grit and perseverance. Perhaps most difficult of all, inspirational leaders hold their people and their team accountable in a healthy way.
Inspirational leaders are most effective at transformational change initiatives. Think of leaders like Dr. King, President Roosevelt, and Steven Hawking. They impacted entire ecosystems of human existence
How can a leader develop or refine their inspirational leadership chops? Here is a practical guide.
Inspirational leadership focuses on encouragement, motivation, and empowerment. This leadership style has four components: it focuses on the individual, it provides intellectual stimulation, it's motivating inspirationally, and the leader shows the way--he/she models the behavior.
Let’s cover each of those individually.
Focusing on the individual means to focus on the whole person and their development Inspirational leaders truly care about their people and their words and actions manifest this.
Inspirational leaders provide intellectual stimulation. They provide opportunities for creativity and innovation, leadership and engagement.
Inspirational leaders motivate through persuasion and inspiration. They are the seemingly inexhaustible force of positive energy that continues to strive for the goal and describe the vision in clear, sharp, and colorful terms. They demonstrate grit and toughness.
Lastly, inspirational leaders model the way. They act as role models.
Here are four steps that can be used to put this style of leadership into action: create the vision, sell the vision (the why), create a roadmap for achieving that vision, and lead the charge.
Let's talk about each of those in turn.
For visionary leaders, the vision is usually very clear in their heads. The struggle can be getting that vision out of your head and on paper in a manner that others understand it, engage in it, and are motivated by it. One trick here, focus the vision on how it will help people--link the vision to the greater good, the big picture.
To sell the vision means that each individual in the organization, each employee, knows their role in achieving the vision, why it's important and how they work helps people. They need to know this. They need to believe it and they need to feel that their work is valued and critical to the mission. Inspirational leaders have to believe it and sell it.
Inspirational leaders must create a roadmap demonstrating how the organization will achieve the vision. The roadmap must include specifics; who's doing what and when, what exactly are they doing, what does success look like, how will it be measured, and how we people be held accountable. The roadmap is a great way to engage employees and help them take ownership.
Lastly, the inspirational leader must lead the charge. They must stand upon the hill and say “this is where we're going and this is why it is important”, and probably one of the most important responsibilities of the leader is to articulate the vision again and again and again, and get everyone moving in that same direction. It really can't be done too much.
If you want to create a work culture where your employees feel engaged, energized, and determined to achieve your vision develop your transformational leadership skills and feel the difference it makes.
I would love to hear about your entrepreneurial journey and your leadership journey. Reach out to me by email at kevin@gyolai.com.
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