Inspiration – an inside job

Whilst researching an initial idea for a blog about inspiration, I came across a 4 step ‘method’ for becoming an inspiring person. I was stopped in my tracks. Do we really need to follow a method to be seen as an inspirational person?

One of the things that strikes me most about people I find inspirational in day-to-day life, apart from their energy, passion and expression, is their authenticity. I’m fairly sure that unless they are giving a TED talk or making a structured presentation, they haven’t followed a method and rather than consciously attempting to inspire, they just do…

This got me thinking about what it really is that makes someone inspiring to others and hence a completely different blog to the original idea!

One of the big questions we get asked by managers is how to inspire their team.

We often hear from aspiring leaders on our training programmes that they have been inspired by another person at some point in their career and want to go on to inspire others. Inspiration is their aspiration!

According to an IBM survey of 1,700 CEOs through 64 countries, one of the top 3 leadership traits identified was the ability to inspire so for the people we work with, it’s an important attribute to understand.

We all know what it is like to be around inspirational people in life, to be prompted by their enthusiasm, energised by their passion and understood and seen by their empathy and care and there is also plenty of research out there to convince us that inspiration is crucial in a business setting. According to Harvard Business Review, it awakens us to new possibilities, propels us towards action and transforms the way we perceive our capabilities. Isn’t that what we all want for our teams?

So, what is it about some leaders that makes them inspiring? Inspiring people are often described as driven, courageous, self-aware, resilient, personable, knowledgeable, empathetic and engaging but where do these qualities come from?

The truth is, it’s an inside job. Its starts from within. Inspiring people are inspired themselves. They seek inspiration to feed their own growth and motivation. Our job as leaders is to create a culture and provide opportunity that supports people to be inspired. An inspired, empowered and motivated management team is one of the most powerful assets a company can have.

To be inspiring, you have to be inspired.

So WHO inspires you? What is it about them that you find inspiring? How can you spend more time around inspiring people? One of the easiest ways to find inspiration is through social connection. When we are around other people we are inspired by their personal stories just as when at work when we are around others we find inspiration in shared ideas etc.

We see this all the time on our signature experiential Management Development Programme (MDP) – leaders from different businesses saying yes and coming together to learn and grow, being taken out of their comfort zone through experiential days, challenging each others thinking and being introduced to new ideas. We see people come to life – it feeds creativity, fosters curiosity, provides challenges to overcome and revitalises both their leadership and personal lives. All qualities which are recognised in inspirational people.

WHAT inspires you? It’s the things that make you feel good, energise you, get your creativity flowing, challenge you to achieve. The things that make you feel more alive and allow you to talk passionately about them. The things that fill you up. Again and again we see people on our leadership courses being inspired by new knowledge, new concepts and new challenges. The break from the day to day routine changes energy and mindset and gives people the opportunity to open their minds to inspiration.

Here at Pro Development, we successfully support companies all over Yorkshire to engage and develop their teams. If you need inspiration, give us a call on 01904 628838 or email info@pro-development.co.uk to see how we can make a difference.

If you want to be an inspiring leader, be an inspired person – you will be inspirational just by your very being. If your thoughts are elevated and inspired, you become more energised and this will cross over into the workplace to help create an environment supporting inspiration.

So what are you passionate about? If you’re not sure, just focus on what you enjoy and do more of it!

Here are some top tips for seeking inspiration in everyday life. It’s not a 4 step method I promise!

• Notice – inspiration can be found anywhere if we look for it
• Seek out opportunities and say YES to them
• Be of service to others
• Start a new hobby
• Change – take a break from routine
• Playfulness and fun
• Become an expert in something to be able to talk passionately about it
• Prioritise wellbeing – know what makes you feel good
• Choose to be curious
• Seek out inspiring podcasts / books

We know that an inspired, motivated workforce can move mountains so we would love to hear from you about how you encourage a culture to support inspiration

Here are some ways the team here at Pro Development stay inspired:

• Walking in nature
• Doing yoga in the woods
• Reading a wide range of subjects
• Personal fitness challenges
• Learning to surf
• Learning new skills to overcome DIY challenges around the house
• Trying new recipes from around the world
• Brainstorming ideas together and challenging each other
• Regular CPD
• Learning to mix essential oil blends
• Having a go at something they have never done before
• Listening to podcasts
• Taking singing lessons
• Networking / making opportunities to meet other business people
• Looking for patterns and themes in nature to express through pottery

Where do you get your inspiration from? We would love to hear from you

Spaces on our April MDP went fast and we are currently taking bookings for the next programme starting in September. To express interest or to find out more about this and our other inspiring leadership development courses please call 01904 or email info@pro-development.co.uk