How do leaders and companies inspire others? Inspiration comes in many forms. For business leaders growing a business using a passion and provision strategy, the two groups of people that need to be inspired are employees and customers.
As a leader, when you're able to inspire your staff and inspire your customers, you have the opportunity to grow your business and be successful.
Dictionary.com, defines Inspire as: "to fill with an animating, quickening, or exalting influence" or "to influence or impel."
When you can influence and create a feeling of “quickening” in those around you, there's a motivation that occurs that makes people act.
Whether it's your employees becoming more focused to finish a project well, or a potential customer who's motivated to purchase your product or service, you can use inspiration to cause people to take an action. But there are more benefits to inspiring people that go beyond basic actions.
When you're trying to inspire people in business, it's okay to acknowledge the practical/financial side as well as the relational/emotional side. When you can connect with your employees and customers at an emotional level, you'll have more of an impact.
As a leader, HOW do you do this?
Here are 6 ways you can start to shift how you set out to inspire and grow your business:
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Think about what you're saying
To go above and beyond just motivating others, you need to clearly articulate your message. Instead of your reasoning being “you should just do this because I said so,” help them connect the dots from their actions to how their contributions connect and contribute to the big picture and the end goal.
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Think about why you're saying it
Re-frame your motivation and re-frame your thinking with a fresh motive that believes in someone’s best. Think about your personal why and make sure your motivation as a leader is placed in the right spot. Everything will flow from this place.
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Think about how you're saying it.
Are you speaking at people? Are you lecturing? Or are you teaching, motivating and spreading a hunger to learn? When you give all the answers and lecture at your employees, you will lose them. People are more inspired by those that teach and encourage them to investigate - to find answers. This is empowering and will inspire those around you. Inspiration isn’t just what you say, but the attitude you say it with.
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Think about who you're saying it to
Understand the people you're talking to.Whether it's your customers, employees, friends, family - it doesn’t matter if they're close to you or total strangers, you need to stop and understand who they are and what is important to them; how they view the world and what their personality is like. You can’t motivate someone with the most creamy, dark chocolate in the world if they don’t like chocolate.
“The secret recipe to inspiring employees is to know the “ingredients” of the people you are inspiring. People want to know that their leaders understand their tendencies, aptitudes and behaviors well-enough to best work with and motivate them. The best leaders and coaches always do.”
- Glenn Llopis
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Think about where you're speaking from
If you truly want to be inspiring and grow your business, you need to lead from the front. It produces more, is more effective, and others will want to share what you're offering them. Then they will be inspired to share with others. -
Think about when you should inspire
This is all about timing. Think about when inspiration would be needed (yes most people could use a small dose every day, but think about the big opportune moments where you can have the greatest impact). Ask yourself as a leader, when in the week is inspiration needed for my staff?
If you're focusing on inspiring your customers, maybe it's time to include a more inspirational message in your next ad campaign. Timing can make all the difference!
“The thing I love about inspiration is that it allows me to have a company with passion and provision, where we really do see profits and sustainable growth, and we like going to work!”
– Michael Redman on being a small business owner
and entrepreneur
When you set out to inspire, impel, and motivate, you can create a sustainable business that helps you reach your goals.
Start with adding in a what, why, how, who, where or when into your next staff meeting or your next company campaign and be ready to reach your goal, grow your business, and create a fulfilling place to work.
