“Try to be a rainbow in someone’s cloud.”
Maya Angelou authored these powerful words and they stand as evidence of the importance people play in our lives.
What kind of influence are you on the people around you? Do you inspire and motivate, whether in your personal or professional life? Do you know how to uplift others and help them perform to the best of their abilities?
Inspiring the people around you can mean making simple, conscious steps. Managers, mentors, parents, and partners can all play a key role in the lives of people around them. Here are the best ways to inspire and get others to accomplish more.
Speak Up!
People need to know when they’re doing something right when they’re missing the mark. If you don’t speak up, you’ll leave others guessing.
Feedback is one of the biggest positive reinforcement elements. Positive reinforcement enables people to reach even greater heights in the future.
If you like something – speak up. If you think that something could be done better – speak up.
You should also work on fine-tuning your feedback provision skills. Criticizing people without giving them suggestions on how to improve their performance could be highly demotivating. This is why you have to acknowledge successes, pinpoint shortcomings and paint at least a basic sketch of how things could become better in the future.
Download this article as a PDF
Lead by Example
People need someone to look up to when taking on new challenges, attempting to improve or make an important life change.
This is why you have to lead by example if you want to inspire others.
You can’t expect people to find the courage for a massive change in life if you’re afraid to stray a bit from your routine. You can’t expect responsibility and initiative if your voice is never being heard.
Excel at what you do and be outspoken about the things you’re passionate about. Share ideas to create an environment of cooperation, good communication, and honest exchanges.
Great leaders are the ones who aren’t afraid of hard work and honesty. Practice what you preach – this is a cliché but quite often, clichés are valid and true.
Be a Visionary and a Good Communicator
Inspiring is all about giving people a clear vision of the future and the possibilities it brings to the table.
Visionaries are capable of doing several important things.
For a start, they see ahead of time. They can pinpoint trends, future practices, and opportunities where others don’t see anything. What’s even more important – visionaries can communicate such ideas and the steps that have to be undertaken to accomplish a goal.
Work on your skills in a particular area of interest and also focus on your communication skills. People often need very specific instructions or guidelines to accomplish something. You have to build relationships based on trust and open communication. When these are in place, you can shed more light on what’s possible and how it can be accomplished. Trust will also enable others to share their feedback and even enhance the original concept with you.
Don’t Be Afraid of Showing Vulnerability
Do you know what else is needed to inspire others? Perfection? Not at all!
Perfection frightens people because it sets such high standards that people are afraid of giving anything a try.
The one thing that gets others motivated is vulnerability.
Don’t be afraid of speaking about your failures, your weakest moments and the ways in which you’ve missed the mark. Share stories of how you managed to get back on your feet.
These are the stories that show anyone can reach new heights if they’re motivated enough and unafraid of trying. Mistakes are not a big thing if you share your experience that involves both successes and vulnerabilities.
Offer Help to Deal with Big Challenges
What may seem like a gargantuan task for one person is going to be a minor thing for a team of two or three.
In order to inspire and motivate, you have to recognize when people have reached their limit. At this point, it’s important to collaborate and offer assistance to move forward.
People get frustrated when they’re stuck. There’s a fine line between giving individuals enough time to tackle a challenge and knowing when you have to intervene. If you postpone the second element too much, you’ll probably accomplish the exact opposite of inspiring.
Instead of standing by and waiting to see what’s going to happen, you have to get engaged. Being a part of the team and offering assistance is highly inspiring. It shows your human face and it also demonstrates your ability to get down to business.
When creating teams or pairing individuals, always look for matches that bring together different abilities. This way, one person’s most painful task will turn into a lovely opportunity for someone else.
Care!
Show others you care about them. Show them that you care about their projects, the things they’re passionate about and plans for the future.
Care and personal involvement can be the biggest motivators, both professionally and personally.
The best leaders engage with their teams on a purely emotional basis. Interactions cannot be 100 percent sterile and distanced. Those who are too detached and aloof may be respected but they will never be viewed as teaches and motivators.
Don’t be afraid to show some passion, some interest in the victories and the painful moments of others. Don’t be afraid to show you’re a human being. You can only benefit from such an approach.
Motivating and inspiring are very often NOT about the things you do. It’s about your overall attitude, the way you communicate and the things you believe in. Share this information with others and you will very soon notice the powerful ways in which it can influence.
Sometimes, a bit of conscious effort will be required on your behalf but even in such instances, the work will be minimal. If you believe in people and you’re not afraid to show it, you will soon see spectacular results.
