The first of Winning Edge’s 10 leadership concepts in our Take Another Step System, an inspirational leadership workshop is: #1: Leadership is inspiration, plain and simple.
Winning Edge defines a leader as one who can inspire others to take a journey that they would not take by themselves. People are emotional beings and effective leaders must tap into their heart (does anybody care for me) and spirit (connect me to something bigger than myself) to inspire their greatness.
Winning Edge has identified 3 ways to inspire another person:
- Build Trust
- I Got Your Back
- Reward and Recognize
1. Build Trust
It has been said that trust is the #1 human motivator, and I agree! Think about it. Can a leader that you do not trust motivate you? Of course not! So how do we build trust in our people? By connecting with them on a personal and professional level, believing in them, speaking words of life into them, accentuating the positives, listening to understand, not to reply, being with them through life’s challenges, being vulnerable, and fulfilling your commitments to them.
2. I Got Your Back
Do your teammates know that you have their back? Correcting behavior is a complicated process. We must get someone to understand that we are changing their behavior out of love and concern for their well-being. The person being corrected must know, see, and feel their leader “has their back”. Then, correction with a relationship will equal direction. Without a relationship, the same attempt at correction will likely turn into rebellion. The coaching behavior process is tough, but profound when done with the right heart and attitude. Get your people to feel and understand that you have their back through your actions and their experiences with you, and magic will happen.
3. Reward and Recognize
According to Stephen Covey, all people have certain psychological needs. We all need to be understood, affirmed, validated, and appreciated. We must recognize each person as a special gift from God–because they are! There is one, and only one, way to do this, and that is to S.T.O.P. and Spend Time On People. To a busy leader, this can seem to be an insurmountable challenge, but it is an absolute necessity. Your people will not know that you understand their inherent value as human beings until you invest your time in them.
When leaders make the intangible connection of their heart and spirit, those around them feel valued and truly a part of the organization. People that genuinely feel this way about their team will be called, inspired, and liberated to take another step.
I would love to hear about how you inspire your people to be the very best that they can be!
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Lessons and Stories About How To Find Your Winning Edge In Life And Business
