The Six Traits Of Inspirational Leadership
Are you an inspirational leader? We all want to work for someone who inspires us, someone who brings out the best in us and who is there for us when obstacles arise. Many job descriptions and postings I’ve seen lately often mention inspirational leadership, but what is that exactly?
Think about the leaders you have worked for: Did they inspire you? Were you willing to go that extra mile to get work done for them? If they moved on to another role, did you want to follow them? Were you given opportunities to grow due to their trust in you? As you think of the answers to these questions, think about your own leadership style. Do you inspire your direct reports, or even your peers, to do their best work?
Here are six qualities that are important for inspirational leaders.
1. They are calm in stressful situations.
Not every day or every situation will go exactly as planned. It’s important that leaders are mindful about how they show up during stressful situations. Inspiring leaders will face challenges in a calm manner and will work with their team members to find solutions. This is the opposite of the leader who panics, loses their composure or goes on a blame rampage. When working with a leader who does not handle things well under stress, employees will avoid bringing issues or bad news to their attention for fear of their reaction. An inspirational leader will encourage their team members to identify issues early so they may be solved together.
2. They show their human side.
Big titles often intimidate more junior members of a team and they forget that their leader is human too. It’s important that leaders demonstrate understanding of the issues and concerns that their team members experience. A good leader will genuinely listen and show compassion and concern for their team. Inspirational leaders demonstrate an interest in the people on their teams and are there for them during tough times.
3. They listen.
It bears repeating: Listening, really listening, is important. Inspirational leaders will listen for meaning and will pause before responding. These leaders won’t be crafting a response in their head or engage in multi-tasking while the other person is speaking. When they do respond, they will use language that demonstrates that they actually heard the person.
4. They are resilient.
Every leader is going to experience times when they hit roadblocks or a project fails. How a leader reacts to these situations will be noticed by their team members. Inspiring leaders will learn from these situations and will bounce back from adversity. They will show their resiliency by keeping their emotions in check and look for ways to adapt to the situation, as opposed to blaming a team member or “throwing them under the bus.”
5. They show integrity.
An inspirational leader will demonstrate that they live their values and will “walk the talk.” They keep promises and commitments and are trustworthy. These leaders do the right thing even if it may not be the most popular way to act. Their values are aligned with their actions. They care about their work and the well-being and development of their team members.
6. They develop talent.
An inspirational leader will develop talent and provide them with opportunities to grow. They are willing to take a risk on a person to stretch them. They have a desire to develop their team members and push them outside their comfort zone — and are prepared with a safety net if the individual falters.
Think of a leader who inspired you to put in that extra effort. What was it about them? Who would you follow to another organization? I remember one leader I worked with who stretched me and provided me with opportunities that I would not have considered on my own. When she left the organization, there was a void. In the end, I followed her to another organization to continue my growth. Would your team members follow you?