There are loads of books about leadership, blogs and TED Talks too. Not to mention click-bate quotes. I have read, watched and used many of these.  And I do love a physical book!

But nothing beats lived experience. 

There is a wonderful poem by Eleanor Roosevelt (a remarkable woman ahead of her time) called ‘Footprints in your heart’. She talks about “learn[ing] from the mistakes of others, [as] you can’t live long enough to make them all yourself”. This is most definitely true, and anyone with a growth mindset and an open feedback loop, will understand the relevance and importance of this. 

However, at some point a leader has to walk-the-walk, so to speak. 

The theory needs contextualising in the real world and, more importantly, an aspiring leader needs to craft their own sense of style, refine the skills, and feel comfortable in their own skin. Only then will the leader be genuine, authentic and effective. Without the lived-experience of leading a team through a variety of situations, challenges, successes and with both poor and high performing individuals, will the leader know how best to do all this and be an ‘inspiration’ to others. 

People often talk about an ‘inspiring leader’ but can anyone ever become one by design. If they do, is this not the wrong purpose of leadership? An inspiring leader seems to emerge by chance, and their style is personal to the individual they inspire.

So what is inspiring leadership and can it really be cultivated?

Characteristics of an inspiring leader:

Someone with a personal connection to you – who has invested in the relationship, and your development, at a personal level. Creating a connection. The relationship has to go beyond merely transactional. So make time for people, talk to them and not just about work but because you are genuinely interested in who they are.

They effectively communicate the why and the what. Sharing vulnerability when they too question the why or are unsure about the ‘how’.  To effectively communication, a leader must also actively listen, to what is and isn’t being said, with an openness to genuinely listen to respond, not reply.

They share their sense of passion for the task at hand – to motivate others to achieve the goal or take action. Especially when it’s tough, and team resilience maybe low. Lead through passion and positivity, not authority.

Demonstrating emotional intelligence through their interactions with the few or the many – tailoring their approach to effectively reach the individual, even when in a room full of many.

And significantly, doing all this with honesty and integrity. Through their own behaviours and what they say. And with this comes the ability and humility to be vulnerable – no leader will know everything. They aren’t meant to. That’s why we work in teams. Combining the strengths from the individual, to complement and harmonise with the wider group. Without this, decision making is poorer and less effective. Together, they can do anything. Alone they achieve little.

These key elements can be thought of as characteristics or competencies. It really doesn’t matter what we call them.

What does matter is if they have been cultivated – tried, tested, evolved, and refined through having a go and being a leader. An inspiring leader will approach each with a growth mindset, to evolve their own sense of style, to tailor their approach to each team or organisation. Each can be learned and refined.

Only then may they ever be considered as inspirational to some, but probably not all. After all, we aren’t after perfection and a leader can’t be everything to everyone. But an inspiring leader can aspire to do and be better, leading by example. 

Leadership is an infinite journey – it will never be ‘done’ or ‘finished’. It is the journey of improvement that shapes the leader – and the best will be considered an inspiration by some who follow.

To start combining the theory and the practical, check out the Inspire Series: Waves 5 and 6 to accelerate your own leadership style and nurture your high performing teams.