Excerpt: Leaders Motivate (Chapter 5, Page 56-59)

A recurring theme in our discussion is that true leaders exhibit a high level of energy, intensity, passion and determination. They channel this energy and direct it toward others to motivate them into making a vision a reality and becoming inspirational leaders. They draw on their inner and outer characters to motivate in four ways:

• How they think (inner character)

• How they communicate (outer character)

• How they work (outer character)

• How they treat people (outer character)

Leaders Motivate by How They Think

Leadership is not a set of personality traits; however, all genuine leaders have six key qualities that represent the essence of this role. These qualities define the leader's inner character and actions:

Integrity: Integrity means telling and living the truth. Leaders deal with people and situations sincerely and straightforwardly and do not compromise on what they believe to be true. Integrity demands the specification of ethical behavior and the elimination of games-playing and cheating. Integrity also demands that there be honesty in all dealings, where honesty is measured by consistency of word and deed. It is from this honesty that trust and loyalty spring.

Credibility: Credibility is related to integrity but takes the idea a step further. Credibility means being accountable, genuine and open. Credibility must be earned over time in painstaking increments and it can easily be lost. It means being clear, precise, and accurate in all interactions so that there are no misunderstandings or misinterpretations.

Enthusiasm: There is a misconception that leaders and managers should leave their excitement about work and life at home when they are at the office. But this will not motivate anyone. Instead, to motivate, leaders must unleash their excitement and enthusiasm. If you want people to be excited, you must first be excited. This is because enthusiasm is contagious! Plant inspirational enthusiasm and watch it grow.

Optimism: From enthusiasm comes optimism--an incurable condition of people who focus on success. It comes from an inner confidence. It is this confidence that keeps you from obsessing over minor setbacks and keeps you focused on the path forward.

Urgency: The future can only be addressed by what we do today. Leaders must act with a sense of urgency so that their organization will act with a sense of urgency -- the time for action is now. For example, I use a salutation -- GO! GO! GO! -- to convey my desire for action, my encouragement, and my belief that anything worth doing is worth doing now.

Determination: Leaders demonstrate determination by stepping forward in times of uncertainty. They exhibit the courage to step into the unknown -- to try new and different solutions to problems or to steer a company toward a new course. They take charge and have high expectations.

Leaders Motivate by How They Communicate

Communication style is one of the things that define outer character. Leaders view communication from the receiver's perspective. Their focus is on the receipt of a message and not the generation of that message. This means that communication is not just what leaders say. It is also what they don't say, how they say what they say, and how they act in general -- all of this impacts the receipt of the message. To do this, leaders use empathy and simple communications.

Empathy is characterized by "feeling with another" and not just "feeling for another." It means putting yourself in another person's shoes. Empathy allows leaders to be open and sensitive to others. They realize that all people are unique and that everyone has the potential to receive the same message differently. This is why simple communications are what leaders use to motivate. Simple communications eliminate ambiguity and are characterized by:

• Simple language that stays clear of complex words and phrases.

• Simple mini-memos that present a problem/solution/action path.

• Simple persuasion techniques that state facts and conclusions simply, using logical steps (1-2-3).

• Simple life philosophies that show your true self--always.

Leaders Motivate by How They Work

Leaders who wish to improve the quality and quantity of work within their organization model work excellence themselves. There are two rules pertaining to work that leaders practice: (1) Work hard and smart and (2) Enjoy work.

Working hard and smart is how you gain credibility and energy in the eyes of your constituents. Working hard and smart means:

• Making the right decision at the right time and communicating it to the right people.

• Reducing emphasis on time-management so that interruptions that are part of the day become a chance to teach and not annoyances or detriments to progress.

• Paying attention to the right details by involving yourself only with the details you need to know for a decision you are making and not getting buried or distracted.

• Going the extra mile by exceeding expectations, really listening, questioning deeply, being friendly, being real, being more responsive than people think possible, and treating every interaction as if your credibility is on the line, as probably is the case.

• Keeping your thinking loose so that you can accept change and mistakes.

Enjoying work is the second part of how leaders motivate by how they work. There are four things a leader does to enjoy work personally:

• Grow as a person: A leader's personal growth is important to how he or she enjoys work and motivates: First, the leader derives personal satisfaction from individual learning and thus enjoys work. Second, the leader's personal growth sets the pace for the rest of the organization's learning. Third, it ignites new ideas and new thinking throughout the organization.

• Be a realist: When leaders are realists, they enjoy work because they are not being beaten down or sidelined by trying to make the impossible possible. Using intellectual honesty, they set realistic goals that can be met, increasing job satisfaction and enjoyment.

• Be natural: There is no fun in being phony. When leaders are themselves, they enjoy work and life because they are not playing a difficult, unfamiliar role. When leaders are accessible, predictable, open, compassionate, and caring, they have personal satisfaction that spills over to how they feel about work.

• Have fun: When you have fun at work, then you are enjoying it. It's that simple. Therefore, leaders show that they enjoy work by being positive, celebrating successes, saying thank you, and laughing. This is contagious and spills over into the organization, motivating others to do their best so that they can continue the fun.

Leaders Motivate by How They Treat People

How leaders treat people has a big impact on motivating others. A genuine leader treats others the way they want to be treated. This has much to do with compassion, politeness, courtesy, trust, dignity, respect and fairness. This can be done by following ten simple principles:

• Like yourself: You must have a positive self image before you can have a positive image of others.

• Accept others: Accept others as they are and not as you would like them to be. Love diversity, and above all, love people.

• Respect others: Everyone is unique and merits your appreciation, honor, and respect.

• Trust others: Demonstrating your trust in others encourages them to be trustworthy and makes them trust you.

• Think "we": Outstanding performance is the result of a "we mentality" and not the "I" mentality.

• Be real: You are a real person with feelings, concerns, and interests -- just like everyone else. Demonstrate your realness by socializing, participating in small talk and conversations, and being yourself.

• Say "Thank You": Truly appreciate people helping you. Say "thank you" as often as you can throughout the day -- but do it with sincerity so that those you thank do not feel as if it is automatic lip service.

• Anger slowly, or not at all: If you have a temper, you must try not to show it.

• Encourage others: Know when to give people a pat on the back or a pep talk. Be available when people need you and your support.

• Be a nice person: Be liked because you are gentle, kind and considerate.

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