Posts tagged passion

“The very essence of leadership is that you have to have a vision. It’s got to be a vision you articulate clearly and forcefully on every occasion.” — Theodore Hesburgh, President of the University of Notre Dame

OK. So you’ve got a vision. You’ve recruited a team of others whole share that vision. How do you keep them motivated?

Getting people to accomplish something is much easier if they have the inspiration to do so. Inspire literally means “to breathe life into.” And in order to perform that, we have to have some life ourselves. Three main actions will aid you in accomplishing this:

1. Be passionate: In organizations where the is a leader with great enthusiasm about a project, a trickle-down effect will occur. You must be committed to the work you are doing. If you do not communicate excitement, how can you expect your people to get worked up about it?

2. Get your team involved in the decision making process: People who are involved in the decision making process participate much more enthusiastically than those who just carry out their boss’s order. Help them contribute and tell them you value their opinions. Listen to them and incorporate their ideas when it makes sense to so.

3. Know what your organization is about!: General Creighton W. Abrams used to say in the mid-1970s, is that “the Army is not made up of people. The Army is people. Every decision we make is a people issue.” Your organization is the same.

It makes sense then that your primary responsibility as a leader is to develop people and enable them to reach their full potential. Your people may come from diverse backgrounds, but they all have goals they want to accomplish. Create a “people environment” where they truly can be all they can be.

(Source: nwlink.com)