As a leader, it’s your job to make sure those working for (or with) you can put their faith in your abilities, and for that to happen, you need to work to inspire them. Inspiration doesn’t just come with the job title; you have to work to drive people toward being the very best they can be. You can do this why actively demonstrating passion and purpose toward their role in the company, listen to what they have to say, and giving their position meaning. These are a few ways you can inspire those around you as a leader in your company.
Action
Some senior members believe that their position within the business automatically means that employees will follow them due to a hierarchy. While this works for some people, you’re not likely to get the best work, support, or contributions out of your employees by relying on that. Instead, focus on not just telling your employees what they need to do, but acting upon what you tell them as well.
Use your actions to demonstrate your commitment to your company in everything you do, and communicate clearly and sensitively to show them that you care. This will build a strong, inspirational culture in your company and see positive results in the work done.
Inclusion
You won’t inspire anyone if you don’t make sure to include them in what you’re doing. To genuinely include someone, you need to give people positive feedback, listen to what they have to say, and help them feel connected to the actions and processes that go into reaching a final decision for a project.
Including all of your employees in decisions that affect everyone instead of relying on a small group from upper management can lead to a positive morale boost and let your employees know that they’re being heard. By bringing them into company-wide decisions, you’re more likely to reach a decision that most people can agree upon and, in turn, have little push back against the said decision.
Integrity and Trust
You won’t inspire anyone if they don’t—or can’t—trust you. Make it clear to everyone who you are as a person, what your motives are, and do your absolute best not only for the company but also for the employees.
Let them see your integrity and how it plays out in the decision-making process, and always tell your employees the truth. Doing so will lay the foundation for trust between everyone, and they’ll be more likely to look up to you if you act like the person you say you are. Once that’s established, you’ll be able to inspire your employees through your actions (as mentioned above).