Is There a Need for Inspiration?

TOPICs: COMMUNICATION SKILLS

Is There a Need for Inspiration?

I had another blog installment all written and proofread but yesterday morning I changed my mind. All week I have been wrestling with the role of inspiration in a leader’s arsenal, so let me share my journey with you.

Earlier this week I delivered an informational and inspirational talk to our Residential employees. As always, I struggled to craft a message which would reach the technicians and installers on their level. I learned long ago that tradesmen can like me as a leader and respect what I have to say, but they won’t fully buy in until they hear from a leader with a technical background. My communication challenge is to plant enough “vision seeds” which can later be reinforced by leaders with a technical background.

As I delivered my talk I could see and feel that my points were resonating with most of the audience. But shortly afterwards I was questioned about the effectiveness of inspiration on the average technical employee. Were these guys just “give me the facts without all the passion” types? It was a solid question, and it caused me to wonder if a significant portion of our employees might be immune to inspiration.

Then, an interesting coincidence happened. On Saturday morning I was wide awake at 4:00 am. I grabbed a cup of coffee and began scanning for something to watch on TV. Quite by accident I clicked on an ESPN 30 for 30 episode titled “Survive and Advance.” It chronicled the 1983 college basketball season of the North Carolina State Wolfpack coached by the legendary Jim Valvano. If you have any question about the role of inspiration in leadership, this show is a must-watch.

I’m not going to rehash the details of the story because it doesn’t differ materially from lots of other Cinderella stories. The point worth remembering is that one man was able to lift an entire team on the strength of his ability to sell his vision. Even 40 years later at a team reunion it was clear that the players had been forever changed by the seasons they spent with their inspiring coach.

Jim Valvano was a uniquely inspirational and gifted speaker. As a coach he inspired his players to raise their expectations and to play beyond their talent. In later life he inspired a nation as he fought a losing battle with cancer and raised over $150,000,000 for cancer research. I am no Jim Valvano, but I do have the ability to inspire employees to become something more than they ever thought of being. Whether I can reach everyone is not the issue. My challenge is to reach as many as I can. That is your challenge too.

If you don’t currently have the “inspirational gene,” start your search today. Watch inspirational speakers, starting with “Survive and Advance,” and figure out a way to add inspiration to your communication toolkit. Study the techniques that work for them and think about applying those techniques to your own communication. You will never reach your potential as a leader unless you successfully take this step. As always, I am here to help.