Charlotte Grainger 
Motivate your team and supercharge your leadership now!
When you're looking to level up in your career, becoming an inspirational leader is a smart move. Under the right leadership, a company can not just survive but thrive. Show your manager that you have what it takes to motivate your team and push things forward, and you're a shoo-in for that next promotion. On the other hand, if you're already high up on the career ladder, you need to make sure you can inspire those below you.
Ready to start walking the walk? In this guide, we'll take a look at what makes an inspirational leader, the benefits you can expect when you start changing tack, and how you can boost your leadership skills. Sit tight - here's everything you need to know.
What is inspirational leadership?
In simple terms, inspirational leadership is about motivating the people around you. You don't have to be a manager, or even a supervisor, to practice inspirational leadership in the workplace. Whatever position you currently hold, there are ways that you can have a positive impact on your team. Cultivating the right attitude is the starting point here.
Are leaders born or made?
A myth that holds many people back is the idea that some people are born leaders and others don't stand a chance of attaining that status. The odds were stacked against them from the start. If you're working under the belief that you're not lucky enough to possess leadership traits, it's time to switch up the narrative. That's simply not the case.
Leaders are not born - they're made. According to behavioural theory, to become an inspirational leader you need to learn certain traits and approaches that you can then apply to your professional life. One of the ways to do that is to look at the way other leaders manage their team (or their followers) and emulate their behaviour. Yes, it's a “fake it until you make it” attitude, but this method is the fastest way to up your game.
Benefits of inspirational leadership
Now that you know what an inspirational leader is, let's take a look at why you should become one. It doesn't matter where you are in the pecking order. You can reap a whole range of rewards when you start embodying the attitude of inspirational leadership.
Motivate your team
Over 70% of employees would like their employers to do more to motivate them. Can you bridge the gap? While you might not be the “big boss,” you can still drive your team forward. One of the key principles of inspirational leadership is motivating others.
Every professional knows that the atmosphere among colleagues can make or break a team. If you come to work each day with a positive attitude, that's likely to have a direct influence on the people around you. It's all about positively impacting the wider team.
Boost their engagement
If you're managing a team, you'll know that engaging workers can be difficult. Even the most passionate of professionals have off days when, frankly, they would rather be at home in their PJs. It happens. However, when you start becoming an inspirational leader, you can drag them out of that slump and into the right mindset for the working day.
The power of inspirational leadership is in showing others the value of their work. Often enough, professionals forget what the purpose of their job is. Time takes its toll, and many of us become disenchanted with our jobs. Respark people's interest in their daily tasks.
Meet and exceed your targets
Inspirational leadership isn't just about the bottom line. However, when you start practising this approach it will help you and your team to reach your targets. Keeping team members on track can be difficult, especially if the deadlines are tight. When you're an inspirational leader, you make sure that the goals align with the values of each of the employees.
Rather than merely dishing out orders and following up at a later date, inspirational leadership is all about truly integrating with your team. That means getting to know what drives each of the professionals in it, and using them to their best advantage and strengths.
How to practice inspirational leadership
Whether you're in upper management or new to a company, there has never been a better time to improve your inspirational leadership skills. Here are some approaches you can take.
Be the most authentic version of yourself
The epitome of a bad leader has to be David Brent, from sitcom The Office - a man so painfully insecure that he will do almost anything to be liked by his team. While he's merely a fictional character, we can all agree that he is anything but authentic. Trying to be someone that you're not won't get you very far. If you want to be an inspirational leader, being real with the people around you is important.
Take the time to get to know your team
Do you know your team? Sure, you might know their names and faces - but have you taken the time to understand what drives them? If you want to become an inspirational leader, it's important to understand your colleagues. Speak to them about why they're in this job, what their long-term goals are, and what gives them satisfaction in the role.
Work on your communication skills
Communication is the foundation of any relationship. While we're on the topic of getting to know your team, here's an approach that you can't ignore. Improving your communication skills is one of the most effective ways to become a good leader. That means learning how to listen well, speak clearly, and make sure that there are no mixed messages.
Showcase your passion for the job
Inspirational leaders should love their jobs. Even if you don't relish every single task that your role entails, there are certain to be elements that you enjoy. If you want to inspire and motivate others around you, you need to lead by example. That means showing them that you have a real passion for your job and every task that you take on.
Take responsibility when things mess up
Nobody's perfect. No, not even you. Sometimes, you'll mess up at work. When that happens, your gut may tell you to shirk the blame. However, by doing that, you're not going to score any leadership points. A better approach is to take responsibility when you need to. This shows other workers that you're able to take criticism and own it.
The takeaway
No matter where you are in your career, becoming an inspirational leader can help you to excel. Take a look at some of the approaches we've highlighted here. By changing the way that you work and engage with others, you can boost your skills quickly and easily.
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