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Abraham Lincoln was thrust into a defining moment in American history. His inspirational leadership preserved a nation. Without his leadership, secession in 1860 could have easily led to the portioning of America into any number of separate entities, some retaining slavery, some not.
The United States of America would no longer be a union. And without the USA, the 20th century would have been radically different. Our world would look nothing like it does today.
Lincoln did it by rejecting the use of naked power. Instead, he motivated and inspired his followers to take ownership of their roles in the great American experiment of democracy and freedom. He mobilized his followers to fight for a common mission – the elevation of human equality and dignity.
He did this by powerful communication, including his two Inaugural speeches and the Gettysburg Address. He was incredibly resilient in the face of setbacks and defeats. He inspired everyday people to a higher level of performance and achievement by instilling purpose in their lives.
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Lincoln saved the most significant nation on earth. He was arguably the greatest president in American history. Lincoln was positively the essence of inspirational leadership.
And inspirational leadership is desperately needed today. In government, businesses, nonprofits and teams, inspirational leaders are the key to organizational success.
I’ve always subscribed to the general definition of leadership as influence. But for inspirational leadership, the definition is more specific – it is the transfer of belief.
Inspirational leaders create a positive culture of belief. They inspire those they lead to believe. This belief leads to amazing accomplishments. They inspire their followers to do what many believe can’t be done.
Inspirational leaders are optimists, visionaries, dreamers. They invest their time and energy in creating a positive culture. That culture then excites, encourages and energizes people. And the whole organization gets better.
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We see this time and time again in the sports world. The coaches that create a positive culture lead their teams to success. Winning is the result of inspirational leaders creating the right culture.
The leader must believe. He must be optimistic and spread positivity. Disney CEO Bob Iger has said, “The most important characteristic of a leader is optimism.” What the leader believes is possible greatly influences what is accomplished.
Inspirational leaders communicate faith in a world of pessimism, negativity and fear. They choose faith over fear. They know over-believers can become over-achievers. The leader’s belief inspires followers to believe.
The reality is it’s hard to grow, it’s hard to make progress, it’s hard to reach success if you’re around people who are negative. Optimists simply fare better than pessimists. People who see the positive and have a positive outlook are happier and more successful than negative people.
Inspirational leaders change the thinking in their organization. They replace the negative with the positive, pessimism with optimism, doubt with faith.
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Inspirational leaders use communication to give their followers the precious gift of hope. And they need regular doses of it. They need to believe that there is greater ahead of them. John W. Gardner once said, “The function of a leader is to keep hope alive.” And the best way to do it is through motivational communication.
Inspirational leaders know there will be setbacks. They use these challenges as catalysts for growth, leading their organizations to bounce back stronger and wiser. They understand failure is part of the success journey. And their followers can use the tough, difficult, challenging experiences of life for the good if they can embrace it.
Leaders who face adversity head on realize there is an opportunity to learn from it. When you learn and make the necessary changes, you turn your setback into a comeback.
Inspirational leaders appreciate their followers and find various ways to express it. They know well how meaningful it is when the leader acknowledges hard work, sacrifice and effort. A leader who shows he cares inspires people to wholeheartedly commit to the vision. Followers simply work harder when they feel appreciated.
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Gratitude is a habit we develop. It’s not just a spontaneous emotion. Leaders emphasize gratitude for people more than just actions. They make sure their followers know they appreciate them.
Pessimists don’t change the world. Throughout history, it’s the inspirational leaders, the optimists, the believers who make the greatest impact.
Inspirational leaders believe in people and believe the best is yet to come. Because they believe in a better and brighter future, they inspire people to create it. They are positively contagious, sharing encouragement, optimism and joy. They have a clear vision and create a positive culture.
Inspirational leaders succeed. They measure meaning as well as metrics. When purpose truly connects, the results are unmistakable. Stories replace complaints, culture changes naturally and the vision becomes a reality.
We need inspirational leaders – you can be one.
This is an excerpt from the book “Maverick Leadership” (coming out Oct. 15). For more information go to www.maverickleadershipbook.com.
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