“If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.”— John Quincy Adams
Being a leader is a huge responsibility. Everyone has the potential to lead, but not everyone is allowed to lead a team. If you are on the leadership platform, make the most of it to inspire and motivate others. After all, that is what a leader should be doing. It is more than positional; instead, it impacts the lives of those people under your leadership. To be worth following, it demands some qualities and characteristics. To be effective, you have to have what it takes to encourage those around you to succeed.
Here are five leadership qualities to motivate and inspire your team:
Cast the Vision and Purpose
Be the leader who creates an inspiring vision of the future and will give your team that sense of purpose. Cast the vision of the things that they can look forward to and something to work towards. Be sure to communicate an achievable and realistic set of goals with which you and your team can collaborate. Be of service to them by thinking of possible ways to make both of your jobs easier. Share your vision and how it is personally important to you to inspire your team to work and give their best. Explain to them the why and inspire them to embrace it. Only then can you work with unity among each other.
Set the Goals Clear
It is essential to communicate to the team the things that are expected of them. As the leader, it is your job to create clarity. Be sure that everyone agrees on a set deadline to finish a project or a task. Be sure to communicate the goals on a personal level and make them feel the team spirit. Don’t make the team feel that they are just there to accomplish the goal you have set, but make sure that they identify with the goal personally. This will make them more motivated to work and at the same time boost productivity.
Lead by Example
One of the most powerful tactics to motivate and inspire your team is by leading by example. First, you communicate to the team that you are with them to achieve the vision and purpose. This shows that you are serious about achieving the goals that are set. By working hard and showing professional integrity, your team will be inspired to do so as well. Finally, when you let the team see the actions and values that you expect from them by doing it yourself, you will inspire the team to do the same.
Build the Culture of Honoring Each Other
Giving praise and rewards is one of the best ways to inspire and motivate your team to work harder. This will make the team feel that they are appreciated, therefore, encourages the team to work harder or perform better. So make it a culture to honor those who are doing a great job and praise them in front of others. Make them feel that their efforts are being recognized. Be generous with rewards because as you do, your team will surely work even harder and be more committed to their task to win the reward.
Empower
Give your team members the authority to do something with complete control. Do not micromanage your team; instead, empower them to explore how to accomplish the task given to them. Give them playtime to explore their strengths. Provide a safe environment to commit mistakes and offer constructive feedback to bring out the best in them. By doing so, you are building that trust and inspiring your team to improve individually.
Key Takeaway
These leadership qualities will surely motivate and inspire your team when they need it the most. Your leadership is key to the whole team’s success; that’s why keep leading them.
