On May 22, I had the pleasure of delivering a four-hour seminar for 150 employees of Santa Clara County in Northern California (San Jose is the county’s largest city). The largely female audience wanted to be inspired and, in turn, learn to be inspiring themselves.
Here are the seven qualities of inspiring leaders that I revealed and discussed over the course of the seminar. We spent time on exercises and activities meant to show the audience members how they could incorporate the qualities in their own lives – at work or at home.
In order to motivate others, you must be:
Passionate. Only by being inspired yourself can you inspire others.
Visionary. See a better future for yourself and their colleagues.
Happy. Nothing can bring you down.
Optimistic. Happy is a state of being. Optimism is a way of interpreting events. You see a bright future in the bleakest days.
Inclusive. You genuinely want others to be part of the solution. You’re an active listener.
Encouraging. You only want the best for others and you encourage others to be their best selves.
Poised. You carry yourself in a way that commands respect.
I concluded the seminar by reminding the audience that despite their titles, they exert influence-leadership-over someone in their personal or professional lives. Whether you’re a fortune 500 executive, the head of a household, or an office specialist for the county government, you are in the motivational business. Inspire the people in your life, encourage them and lift them to higher levels of achievement.