INSPIRE Workbook

Most employees respond best to leaders who are positive and dynamic and create excitement. More importantly, these emotions are contagious; people who are around exciting, positive people will begin to exhibit those traits themselves.

Great leaders do not let their personal moods, disappointments, stress, or personal issues interfere with their ability to project a positive attitude on the job. That’s not to say we recommend never showing emotions; we’re talking about having, say, 90 percent of the time, a productive mood and appearance that inspires others. Everyone has positive and negative emotions, but some managers completely shut their emotions off in the workplace, which makes them appear cold and uncaring. Making an effort to show your positive emotions—even a little bit—will go a long way toward creating the human connections that drive full engagement. It’s a matter of mental toughness and dedication coupled with skill.

Inspired leaders show their passion by painting a compelling picture where outcomes are linked to personal interests. If people can envision the end result and all its benefits, they will be more dedicated in their quest for achieving that result.

Dale Carnegie said, “If you want to be enthusiastic, act enthusiastic,” and he hit upon a powerful tool for helping people improve their lives. This article from wikiHow has some good suggestions for acting more enthusiastic: Click Here

2. Flex your communication style to be more inspiring:

Taking responsibility for being more inspiring requires dedication and loyalty to your team. Humility and teachability inspires others.