E-couragement: Inspired?
“When you are inspired…your mind transcends limitations. Dormant forces, faculties, and talents become alive. You discover yourself to be a greater person by far than you ever dreamed yourself to be.” Pantanjali
I asked my audience about a line or phrase that is most memorable from the movie Jerry Maguire. Most of the men shouted, “Show me the money!” while the women simultaneously exclaimed, “You had me at hello!” It’s interesting how these responses generally run down gender lines. Yet, there’s one line in the movie that speaks to us all. It has to do with a fundamental concept that transcends gender, ethnicity, and generations. Let’s set the stage…
The movie begins with Jerry Maguire stowed away in a hotel room. Jerry seems to be under a spell—or curse. He can’t sleep. He’s caught by a belief that there’s a better way to represent athletes as a sports agent. This compelling vision won’t leave him alone—he can’t shake it. It’s like a strong ocean rip tide from which he is unable to free himself.
After gathering his ideas in a document and presenting it to his peers at the agency, only one loyal colleague shares Jerry’s vision and decides to accompany him on his adventure—her pet goldfish in tow.
Shortly into their new venture, business is slow and tensions are high. Jerry and his lone supporter, Dorothy Boyd, are at odds. That’s when I heard her say, “I care about the job, of course, but mostly, I just want to be inspired.” Upon hearing that line, I yelled, “Preach it, sister…preach it!” Isn’t that the case? We all want to be inspired.
Engaging leaders take responsibility for creating and fostering inspiring work cultures. Here are a few ways in which leaders develop meaning and inspiration at work:
- Compelling vision/purpose: Engaging leaders imagine what can be, could be, and should be. They conjure up a future ideal state and communicate it clearly and powerfully. They see the future and lead others toward it.
- Purposeful action: Living and working with intention and purpose is indeed inspiring. Engaging leaders accomplish this by connecting actions and goals to purpose. Gandhi, Martin Luther King, and Mother Teresa all left their inspiring mark on our planet by living with purposeful action emanating from a clear and compelling vision.
- Right words: No corporate jargon or spin here. People trust those who speak with honesty, clarity, courage, and authenticity. Communicating this way provides you with credibility and moves others to action.
- Infectious passion: Engaging leaders bring passion to their work. In Blue Like Jazz, Donald Miller wrote, “Sometimes you have to watch somebody love something before you can love it yourself. It is as if they are showing you the way.” Passion is powerful, moving, inspiring, and can show us the way.
- Discover, embrace, and utilize strengths. Engaging leaders know their own strengths. They know the strengths of those they lead. Engaging leaders build a successful and inspiring culture by recognizing, focusing on, and applying those strengths.
You have an opportunity to create an inspiring work culture. You deserve this. Those you lead deserve it. After all, we care about our job, of course, but mostly, we just want to be inspired.
Leave your comments: In what ways have you ignited or experienced inspiration at work?