Inspiration Fuels Motivation — 5 Ways How You Can Inspire More as a Leader
Creating the inspiration to move others to action is no small feat. At times, it may seem easy, yet there are those moments we all face when resistance is high and we need a reason to get going. When the odds are stacked against you, and there is more to do than seems possible to complete, someone stepping in to empathize, encourage, and influence is a welcome feeling. That is when leadership is most necessary. This is only effective if those you lead believe in you, your motives, and the connections you have made with them.
Without that bond to reach another’s intrinsic motivators, it can be difficult to get much more than a surface-level commitment. In tough times, that is not enough to accomplish what is necessary. So often does work get completed through brute force, fear motivators, and relying purely on extrinsic factors. These are short-lived, hollow victories that masquerade as success. It is why so many situations initially feel as though you have accomplished something, yet months later, you find yourself in the same or similar situations. There is no staying power without the team’s full buy-in and a deep commitment to a lasting changed outcome.
To create the inspiration needed for an internally driven team committed to long-term success, these five ingredients will need to be present.
Vision and Purpose
More than a goal, a vision paints a clear picture of what the future looks like. Defining what life will look like down the road may be the single most important part of inspiring movement towards an outcome. If people do not understand what they are working towards and the ‘why’ that goes with it, they question why they should even do it. Immediately you are taken away from appealing to an internal driver, and the best you can hope for is extrinsic activities that will push forward. Articulating why we are working towards something, how we will get there, and what it will be when we arrive – that is something that most people can really get behind and push themselves for the better life ahead.
Communication
Tell people what they need to know. Tell it to them straight. Then tell them again and again. Communication is misunderstood, underrated, and the most challenging thing any leader will do. The vision—the reason for doing the work—may be obvious in your mind. Your “why, how, and what” is worked through in your eyes, but not everyone will understand that, especially early on. Telling the story over and over is the only way to ensure everyone else will fully understand and see what you see. Like training, communication is something that everyone will always point to as a reason something fails. Communication is a two-way street in many ways. People have to ask questions when they don’t understand for sure, but they also have to want to get more information. If communication is always through push methods and there is no pulling of information from others, you will likely miss the intrinsic connection you will need.
Connect to Other’s Passions
As you get to know your team and those you support, you should learn about their motivators. What makes them happy? What are they most interested in? Having this knowledge can be very beneficial when assigning different tasks or tailoring your communication to each team member. If that message or work assignment is outfitted to the team member’s unique interests or passions, the likelihood of connecting with the internal drivers will be significantly heightened. Imagine the power of a team that has assignments geared toward their strengths and interests with a message that is framed in a way that matters most to them. That is how a lasting impact can be made and a change movement sustained for the long haul.
Teach
A core tenet of motivation is the fact that people want to be good at what they do. Mastery is something Daniel Pink discusses in his TEDTalk as well as in his book Drive. Communication is not only about telling people what to do, it is about showing them how and encouraging them to find their way of doing it best. No one wants to fail. Teaching is not only an investment in others; it is a connection point that has lasting effects. There are many roles a leader plays on any given day; the role of teacher is among the highest in importance for those that will be most effective.
Build Trust
Trust is never last, but it can never be first either. That is because trust is earned, never assumed. Trust is built along the journey. It builds through sharing a vision and providing the necessary information to understand the expectations and outcomes. It comes from connecting with others and allowing them to work with their strengths. Trust is built from sharing your knowledge, your wisdom, and your experience with others, so they can learn from what you know. Trust is the culmination of many different things that take time and effort to establish, forge, and maintain.
We have covered quite a few things in the last few articles. Laying a foundation for understanding where motivation comes from helps leaders understand the important role they play, not motivating people but inspiring their motivations. Gaining insight into the types of motivation and how that can impact the durability of a change or environment is also critical to successfully influencing others to action. And finally, making a connection to people through defining a vision, communicating it, supporting others’ strengths, teaching them along the way, and ultimately building a trust bank that allows for inspiration and influence to occur. This is the cycle of motivation that a leader can unleash.
How will you inspire motivation through your leadership?
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