LEADERS INSPIRE THEIR TEAMMATES
Think of inspiring leaders with whom you have worked or volunteered during your career? What characteristics did they possess that caused you to think of them when you read my question? In answering that question, I am guessing that you thought of traits that helped them stand out as exemplary managers, guides, mentors and role models.
These traits might have included:
-Visionary
-Thought-provoking
-Proactive
-Intelligent
-Curious
-Optimistic
-Clever
-Caring
-Opportunistic
-Team-oriented
All these traits help characterize inspiring leaders because they reflect the personal characteristics of those leaders when they showed up at work and interacted with their teams.
What if inspiring leadership extended beyond the leaders themselves? What if inspiring leadership was equally about the leader’s ongoing relationship with you and your other teammates?
I thought about this issue during the past week when I heard an insightful definition of leadership from Chip Conley. Chip is the founder and CEO of the Modern Elder Academy (MEA), which is headquartered in Santa Fe, New Mexico. The MEA runs seminars, classes and workshops addressing the provocative question: “What do I want to do with the second half of my life and how can I make the biggest positive difference for myself and others?”
During a webinar sponsored by Coaching.com, Chip offered this definition of leadership:
“Leadership is communicating people’s worth and potential so clearly that they are inspired to see it in themselves.”
Think about that. This definition does not talk about the traits of inspiring leaders in isolation. Rather, it refers to leaders who bring out the best in their colleagues. Inspiration is not something that leaders merely give to their teammates. It is something that leaders proactively bring out in their teammates so that those teammates can see their own worth and potential clearly and convincingly.
It is often said that leaders need to walk the talk. Literally, the talk must be about expressing our confidence, trust and belief in the people with whom we work. When we project those feelings and conclusions to our teammates on a repeated basis, they start believing it and acting upon it themselves.
How do we know?
-They start acting independently instead of depending on us or seeking our approval
-They come to us with creative solutions because they know we value their suggestions
-They approach a teammate with ideas for collaboration without checking with their manager first because they know the culture values teamwork
-They seek increased responsibility, and promotions at our firms when appropriate, because they know we want them to fulfill their potential
-They keep their eyes and ears open for professional opportunities at other organizations because they realize we desire what’s best for them on their unique career journeys
-They create meaningful professional goals on an annual basis and share them with us to gather our input
-They shed the self-imposed limits that have traditionally held them back because they can see new potential
-They quiet their inner critics because our steady positive feedback helps them overcome their negative echoes
-They offer helpful and constructive advice to colleagues because they know we do not see them as competing with each other
Think about Chip’s definition of leadership going forward. Remember that leadership is not merely about showing up with inspiring traits that our teammates admire in us. It is about conveying our belief in the worth and potential of our team members so that they are inspired to look in the mirror and see it in themselves!
If you believe this content would resonate with a friend or colleague, please feel free to forward it along!
-Larry