Reading and researching various experts’ ideas led me to this question. Is leadership really inspiration? Why do people follow you? Is it because they see you and feel inspired? Which leads to another question, what is inspiration?
Kotter argued that leadership is a relationship (you are about to see our articles and books come into play). George argued that a leader must be true to themselves and only then can the be trusted. Yet, Ibarra slightly contradicted this, arguing that it is not always possible to be true to one’s self. Kouzes and Posner argued that a leader must be inspiring. Even Sinek discussed the inspiration a leader must display, creating a trusting relationship.
I think about myself as a follower and look back at the people I looked (or still look up to) up to. Most of them were strict, well-groomed, self-disciplined, and compassionate. They led with firmness but gentleness. The leaders that I admire never made fun of my weaknesses. In fact, they helped develop them into not so weaknesses (yes, I still have some of them, but I’m working on them).
So if inspiration is really a key point, why then do “leaders” fail to inspire? Why then do they fail to take the time and create the relationships needed? I have to go back and find the article, but one researcher argued that even the best leaders could cause organizational pain even unintentionally. So knowing this, shouldn’t we, as leaders, be more cautious and be aware of what we do and what we say?
I believe we already established, none of us are perfect. Sometimes, when a leader makes a mistake, takes ownership of it, and admits it, they become human in the eyes of their followers. Humanization isn’t a bad thing. When we cause organizational pain because we fail to be there or do something, we must be able to bring it back around and provide the necessary tools our people need. That includes inspiration.
