Inspiration of a True Leader

In the process of leadership development, inspiration is the point where the leader connects with other individuals; it is where his purpose intersects with their purpose. A leader’s passion for his purpose is like a flame, igniting new possibilities in the minds and hearts of other people, causing them to think in new ways and stirring up and revealing the convictions and vision within them. In this way, a leader’s vision gives meaning to others’ lives as it invites corporate commitment to a noble cause. People’s personal vision will always be found within a larger corporate vision.

Awakening Others’ Sense of Purpose

When you inspired people by your passion for your purpose, you won’t need to recruit them to help you, obtain their “vote of confidence,” or wait for them to approve you. As you awaken their sense of purpose, they will voluntarily join you in order to fulfill their own contribution to the world through participating in your vision. They will offer their time, energy, resources, and creative power to be part of a larger purpose to which their vision is connected. Likewise, other leaders will inspire different people who will join them, based on their innate purposes and gifting. There is a place for everyone to manifest his personal leadership abilities.

 Keep in mind that although true leaders draw other people to their vision, they do not “clone” them to be just like themselves; they do not seek to recreate themselves in others. Rather, they  enables others to use their unique gifts and abilities to fulfill their own inherent purposes. It should be clear that people don’t’ receive their personal from the leader to whom they are connected – they are enabled to fulfill their own vision as they help the leader enact his.

For example, suppose a leader’s vision is to manufacture a safety feature that would help prevent plane crashes under severe weather conditions. He has the idea and enough knowledge of engineering that he believes the device can be developed. However, he cant’s design and produce it by himself. As he begins to share his vision and passion for this safety feature, he will draw others to him whose personal vision is to participate in airline design and who have the innate gifts to develop and produce such a device.

 Free of Manipulation

Just as true leaders don’t seek to clone themselves in their followers, they don’t try to “collect” followers and supporters in order to make themselves feel good. They may identify particular people they would like to mentor, and invite them to help carry on the overall vision after they are gone, but they never actively try to recruit admirers.

Likewise, a leader who is motivated by his purpose, convictions, vision, and passion never uses or abuses other people. Genuine leaders seek to facilitate the personal visions of their colleagues, executive team members, managers, employees, and family members. At the same time, the manner in which they live out their vision and code of ethics is a positive example to those around them.

Inspiration is the opposite of intimidation and is absent of manipulation. When leaders fail to inspire others, they often resort to manipulation to force people to participate in their plans and do what they want them to do. I’ve studied many individuals who have portrayed themselves to the public as leaders but who are really professional manipulators. They play on people’s fears, use a carrot-and-stick approach, and threaten and coerce them. That is not leadership – that is sophisticated dictatorship.

Every leader must recognize the danger of falling into manipulation. Every day, all over the world, people manipulate their spouses, their children, their friends, their colleagues, their coworkers, their employees, their clients, or their constituents because they do not understand – or Respect – the leadership quality of inspiration. The moment you stop inspiring people and start manipulating them, you cease to be a true leader.