Estimated reading time: 3 minutes, 10 seconds.
TODAY’S IDEA: Top 4 Characteristics of Inspiring Leaders
— From Equipping 101: What Every Leader Needs to Know by John C. Maxwell
I love the quote by Benjamin Disraeli, former UK Prime Minister who said, “The greatest good you can do for another is not just share your riches, but to reveal to him his own.” I believe this is an essential characteristic of an inspiring leader: to show each person in the team his/her superpowers.
Most times, just as we cannot see our flaws, we need someone to point out to us our superpowers. They are such an integral part of us, that we don’t see them as the wonderful gift that they are, and instead, dismiss their importance thinking everybody has them.
In his book Equipping 101, leadership guru John C. Maxwell writes about leaders who inspire others to excel, and calls them enlarging leaders: “Team members always love and admire a [leader and] player who is able to help them go to another level, someone who enlarges and empowers them to be successful.”
He goes on to point out four characteristics of enlarging and inspiring leaders:
1. They value their team members. “Your team members can tell whether you believe in them. People’s performances usually reflect the expectations of those they respect.”
2. They value what their team members value. “[Leaders] who enlarge others do more than value their fellow team members; they understand what their team members value. They listen to discover what they talk about and watch to see what they spend their money on. That kind of knowledge, along with a desire to relate to their fellow players, creates a strong connection between them.”
3. They add value to their team members. “Adding value is really the essence of enlarging others. It’s finding ways to help others improve their abilities and attitudes. A leader who equips and enlarges others looks for the gifts, talents, and uniqueness in other people, and then helps them to increase those abilities for their benefit and for that of the entire team. An enlarging leader is able to take others to a whole new level.”
4. They make themselves more valuable. “Enlargers work to make themselves better, not only because it benefits them personally, but also because it helps them to help others. You cannot give what you do not have. If you want to increase the ability of your team members, make yourself better.”
At a practical level, Maxwell offers three suggestions if you want to become a leader who inspires, empowers, and enlarges others:
- Believe in others before they believe in you.
- Serve others before they serve you.
- Add value to others before they add value to you.
It’s that simple: putting others first and truly seeing them for the gifted, wonderful people that they are—just as we like to be seen as well—is the essence of a leader who inspires others to excel and to grow together with the team.
Have you ever been a part of an awesome team? How did your leader inspire you to become better? I’d love to know! Let me know in the comments here, please.
ACTION
TODAY: Whether you are the CEO of a Fortune 500 Company or a volunteer at a small nonprofit, you can always inspire and enlarge others around you to bring out their gifts and talents and be their best. What goal are you looking to accomplish? Inspire your team by keeping in mind this quote from Bill Russell, the famous basketball player who said, “The most important measure of how good a game I played was how much better I’d make my teammates play.”
FUTURE: Whenever you are in a team setting, look for opportunities to empower, inspire, and enlarge others. Start by giving yourself and your teammates an A, and see all the wonderful possibilities that come out of that!
Who has inspired you today? Please share this post this them! Email, Facebook or Twitter.