According to a survey conducted by Harvard Business School, it was found that the ability to inspire can yield the highest levels of employee engagement and commitment. Another study by Gallup in 2022 showed that adequate employee motivation improves overall retention at the workplace.
So, what do these results validate?
Well, they substantiate the role and importance of inspirational leadership in an organization. Real breakthroughs are achieved through the best performances of the employees and these come from optimistic and motivated employees. Inspirational leaders are instrumental in building a motivated team that produces excellent results.
The conduct and behavior of true leaders leave a deep impact on the people around them. They act as positive and inspiring mentors who foster better engagement and help create healthy work culture. Inspirational leaders encourage employees to take up new challenges and hold them accountable for their work. They bring out the best in their teams through empowerment rather than through control or command.
Key traits defining a truly inspirational leader
- Inspirational leaders are responsible people who are value-driven and committed to creating positive change. Their actions are bound by strong values that align with the company ethics which they never compromise with. At times being ethical might prove to be challenging but true leaders do not back out as they believe in setting the right examples for others to follow.
- Passionate about the mission and vision of the company, motivating leaders share the same passion with others working with them. This gives a clear direction to the team members as to why they are doing what they are doing and how it’s critical to the larger organizational goal.
- Inspirational leaders have a strong sense of self-awareness. They acknowledge their limits and mistakes. This helps them invest rightly in their development. They never shy away from considering negative feedbacks and improving upon their skills.
- Collaboration is the cornerstone of a dedicated and thriving team. Inspirational leaders understand the real strengths and weaknesses of their team members. This helps them devise and use strategic techniques like peer-to-peer mentorship or cross-training etc to promote coordination and unity. They allow individuals to come together and share their learning, experiences and opinions. A healthy environment is created where members are willing to learn something new from each other.
- Inspirational leaders master the art of building connections with their employees. Now, this is certainly not a piece of cake. It calls for patience and persistence. It’s easier to get into a pattern of putting employees on hold to complete some other work. However, true leaders take out time from their busy schedules and engage in meaningful conversations. Authentic and approachable leaders create a culture of openness, kindness and respect.
- Effective communication plays a critical role in influencing employees. Here it’s important to note that communication is not just limited to verbal or written communication. Your gestures and body language too speak a lot about you. Inspirational leaders are excellent at mirroring the non-verbal clues and emotions that ensure the people around them feel valued and understood. During difficult conversations, for instance, when someone’s flaw needs to be pinpointed and corrected, the leader adopts a constructive approach that encourages the person to acknowledge his/her mistake and work upon it.
Besides, genuine and inspiring leaders also exhibit the following qualities:
- Empathy
- Risk-taking
- Positivity
- Honesty
- Passion for Learning
- Trustworthiness
An inspirational leader is a culmination of all the above qualities. When employees enjoy the freedom to take risks while holding accountability, exercise their creativity without feeling apprehensive, communicate opinions without fearing repulsive responses, and work alongside their leaders as partners rather than worker bees, their performances are sure to skyrocket.
All strong and inspirational leaders are not born with all the amazing traits. In fact, they develop the skills over a period through right exposure and effective training programs. Pragati Leadership is one of the trusted leadership training institutes known for remarkable contribution in this field. Our leadership training modules are designed by industry experts who ensure optimum results from the sessions.
If you want to steer your organization on the path of success, focus on building more and more inspiring leaders. We can help you in this endeavor of yours.
So, what are waiting for? Connect with us today for leadership training program in India and unlock the secret of creating true leaders who can add value to your organization!
