10 Tools of Inspiration

Throughout history we see evidence of extraordinary achievement fuelled by inspiration.  Research shows that an inspired business team is up to 125% more productive than even a satisfied team.  Based on this evidence, inspiration is something well worth cultivating. in our organisations.  So, how do we do this?  What are the techniques we can use as leaders to create and nurture an inspired team?

Here are some techniques you can use to inspire, and, they seem to be evergreens:

1. Embrace bold vision. Don’t dumb it down. Choose something big, challenging and extraordinary. As Kouzes and Posner remind us: ‘It’s important that leaders are possibility thinkers, not [just] probability thinkers.’
2. Bring your vision to life in a memorable way. Help people see what you can see. Paint vivid verbal pictures. Appeal to all the senses. Repeat often.
3. Build hope. Show passion. Display genuine personal commitment. Put energy behind your messaging. Own it.
4. Use the power of rhetoric and language. Rhetoric elevates your message. Put some effort into finding the best language to express your ideas.  The words you choose and how you use them matters. Appeal to heart and head. A good rational argument only gets you so far.
5. Use an expressive delivery style. Push your comfort zone when it comes to delivery. Try to take your from engaging to captivating.  Get some expert feedback to re-boot and refine your communication style.  It will help make you more distinctive and persuasive.
6. Find a balance. Go beyond using only transactional messaging. Develop the confidence to shift away from dwelling on the tangibles (facts, numbers, plans, deadlines, results) of your business at the expense of paying attention to the intangibles (hope, belief, belonging, pride, ambition, achievement, joy, satisfaction). Use both. Practice switching between the two with ease and skill. Do it often.
7. Show confidence in people and tell people why and how their daily contribution matters to the bigger picture.  Show people how their contribution makes an impact.  Do this more often. 
8. Remain upbeat even when you don’t feel like it. Do you best to be positive, and to drive positive emotion throughout the team or organisation.
9. Be genuine and prepared to be vulnerable. Embrace the idea of the flawed leader who keeps any weakness in check and leans into his or her strengths.
10. Acknowledge problems, face the hard facts but have a plan to move on.

It's always good to take regular time to reflect on our leadership communication in-action.  Here are a few suggestions to help you reflect on your practice:

1. As a leader, is my communication style stuck in one mode? Does it need a refresh in some areas?
2. Does my communication style reflect the type of leader I want to be?
3. Is my communication style consistent?
4. Do I avoid or overlook the need to inspire hope, confidence and courage in good times and bad?
5. Do I find it difficult to shift from a transactional mode to a more transformational kind of communication?
6.  Am I paying enough attention to keeping my voice, messaging and delivery skills well tuned?
7. Do I do enough through my communication to create the type of excitement that leads to exceptional performance?

What other questions do you think are worth reflecting on?