STRENGTHS

Mar

2024

Three Ways to Create an Inspiring Environment

Many years ago I was visiting with the strength and conditioning coaches of a very successful professional football team. I had one goal in mind: to understand how they motivate their athletes.

I was talking with the head strength coach ready for some wisdom on how they motivate their athletes. Guess what he said.

“We don’t.”

Needless to say, I was a little deflated at that point and also curious why. Many years later I have heard other leaders in the business world say similar things. So, what does a leader do if we don’t motivate our team members?

I am going to suggest we create an environment that inspires them. We may not be motivating them because we hired them to do a job and don’t feel we should have to. Could it be we have a responsibility to create an inspiring environment? Allow me to provide three ideas on creating that environment for your team.

Understand Their Style

Every one of us is different. We are predictably different though. I have a file on my desk with the results of multiple assessments I have taken to understand myself. One of my favorite, which I use in trainings with organizations, is the DISC assessment.

This tool helps you understand an individual’s personal behavior style. How does this help you create an inspiring culture? Each person is inspired a little differently. Some are inspired by a goal and challenge, some by relationships, some by being a part of a team, and some by precision. When we understand the individual and collective style of our team, we can then create an environment that brings out the best in the team and each individual.

As we speak their style, we connect more effectively and inspire more powerfully.

Sort Out Their Strengths

The human experience can cause us to focus on our weak areas and how to improve them. What if we flip this, focus on our strengths, and use them more frequently? When we position people on our team so that they are working in their areas of strength, we get improved results.

People who work in their strengths will be in flow, enjoy their work, and perform at a higher level. The Maxwell DISC Personality Indicator has helped me understand individual leadership strengths, but I have also used another tool. The Working Genius helps individuals see their work performance preferences and what gives them the most fulfillment.

As a leader who understands these two areas, you will begin to be equipped to create a more inspiring environment.

What is Their Why?

Of the three, this is the most important. When facilitating an ongoing leadership academy I continually remind the leaders in the room to “align the whys.” The team you lead has a purpose, why it exists. Each individual also has a purpose, why they are on your team.

As the leader your job is to understand each individual’s “why” and align it with the teams. For example, if they work to provide for their family and the organization offers more money with increased results then you can remind that individual how their performance helps both the organization and them accomplish their purpose.

As you look at these three areas, which do you need to work on with your team? Need help understanding your team member’s style and strengths? Contact me to discuss how I may serve your team and help you strengthen them and partner with you in building an inspiring culture. Lead Well!

Apr

2018

Developing Future Leaders

“Do you think you are a leader?” I ask as I stand in front of a classroom of fourteen to eighteen year olds. A couple hands shoot up, a few are timidly raised because they are not sure, but many are left down and their eyes drop.

“Do any of you interact with someone?” All hands go up and those that don’t we call the local funeral home to haul them off because they must be dead. I continue to explain to these young men and women that leadership is influence and they are leaders even if only to one person. They continually influence others.

Over the last month I had the opportunity to help students see that they can be leaders as part of The John Maxwell Team Global Youth Initiative. Over the course of the month I was able to share lead

ership principles with around 700 students.

I was able to share with them a simple personality test that helped them understand themselves and those around them to see the strengths they have to add value to others.

I shared principles that would help improve their self-esteem and understand some of their natural gifting.

I was able to share with some of them Nick Vujicic’s five steps to success.

Some of them experienced an amazing interactive game called the Leadership Game where they were built up and empowered by their peers and grew in their understanding of practical leadership actions they need to grow in.

What an opportunity to do all that! Now, how does this matters for you? Some of the principles and ideas I shared with them also apply to us.

Our image of ourselves – A couple groups of students learned that at the foundation of being an effective leader one has to have the correct image of themselves. What is the image we are holding of ourselves? Do we believe we have what we need to be effective leading in the role we hold at work or the role we fulfill at home? It may look different than when we were teenagers, but we still have to pay attention to our self-talk to assure we are reinforcing truth and not lies about who we are and what we can do.
Our strengths and gifts – One leadership lesson I taught some of these students helped them identify their natural gifts and understand their personality. When we understand ourselves and what comes more natural to us we can lead in our strengths and have others use their strengths where we are weak to build a stronger and more effective team.
Our purpose – Vision provides clarity and as leaders when our purpose is clear we are able to more effectively point those we lead toward the goal. What is the ultimate purpose of the team, organization, family, etc. you are leading? That clarity will inform and enable more effective decision making.

No matter where we lead, we need to build the next generation of leaders. Those may be leaders entering their first job in your organization or your own children. What purpose are you giving that next generation of leaders? Just as I was able to help these students understand their purpose, value, and gifts wherever you work you can do the same. Continue to lead well at work and at home empowering the next generation.