Whether in the boardroom or on the battlefield, influential leaders must pick the appropriate approach for the right objective. Inspiring others may take a variety of ways. Here are nine leadership principles that help people get inspired:
Concentrate on your connections. "Nobody cares how much you know until they know how much you care" was one of the first statements I heard when I started my present job. Looking back on my special operations experience, I can say that the SEALs never completed a mission without the assistance of other government agencies or peers. Everything was connected, and it was all based on "who you knew" (much like everything else in the world).
Leave your ego at the door. Allow your actions to speak for themselves if you want to impact others. It's a timeless saying that remains true today, but if you're so good at something, no one needs to know since they already know.
Determine who will win. When you know what victory looks like (i.e., the end-state), all you have to do is zig and zag your way there. Identify precisely what you're aiming for and make sure your employees do, too, to maximize your potential and minimize wasted effort. When communication breaks down, redundancies emerge.
Make use of high-powered personnel. There were instances when we just had a few operators on the ground since the task only required that. Work backward to determine who belongs where after you've narrowed down the desired end-state. If the same names keep cropping up, it's time to think about succession planning.
Allow them to go. Allow the human desire for individuality and significance to thrive by releasing the reins. People want to perform well and achieve, but the procedure often stifles potential. This is referred to as "the purpose motivation" by Daniel Pink in his best-selling book Drive. Instead, offer them a goal, a deadline, and the power to act.
Actively listen. Listeners may be divided into two categories: those who want to comprehend and those who wish to be understood. The former are calmly waiting for you to stop talking so they can speak, while the latter are anxiously waiting for you to stop talking so they can talk.
Keep your excitement in check. People who are too enthusiastic, happy, sad, or negative are social hand grenades, which is why emotional intelligence (EI) is so essential. EI consists of four parts: self-awareness, social awareness, self-management, and relationship management, and is defined as one's capacity to understand emotions in oneself and others. Curbing your excitement sits squarely in the center of all four since no one wants to be near a grenade when it's thrown.
Increase your resiliency. To others, demonstrating how much you can bear physically, intellectually, and emotionally may be awe-inspiring. Everyone enjoys hearing about the father who lifted a vehicle to rescue a kid or the unusual rags-to-riches tale. You become more when you accomplish more.
You want to motivate people to concentrate on the one resource you have control over yourself. Your deeds, to be precise. Aim to do at least one of the above things every day, and you'll it's surprised at how much inspiration you'll get.
To your speaking success!