Do you consider yourself to be an inspirational leader?
We can be honest about the reality that not all leaders are as inspirational as others, but all leaders must inspire, or our leadership will be unnecessarily limited.
It’s a misnomer to think that only the senior leaders in the church carry the role of inspiring others.
Inspiring those you lead, is a skill all of us are responsible to practice and improve.
As a young leader, I was captivated by the uniquely high skill level of many lead pastors in mega churches. Their level of skill caused me to assume that the role of inspiration was a unique responsibility only they carried. It took me years to learn that was not true.
The size of a few leaders’ skill level and gifting does not release the rest of us from our full leadership responsibilities, including inspiring others.
The ability to inspire others is not a gift reserved for a few, it’s a skill all leaders must learn.
Inspiration is not a stand-alone skill. It requires other supporting skills underneath including the ability to:
- Connect at a heart level – showing you care.
- Appreciate others for who they are – expressing respect for each person as a human being.
- Encourage people to build them up – believing in each one so they may reach farther, dig deeper, and hold longer than previously believed possible.
Without these three skills, inspiring others will be difficult for you as a leader.
The ability to inspire connects people with the vision and lifts their sights to new possibilities.
The primary purpose of inspiration is to move people in the direction of the vision and mission of the church, which ultimately is about spiritual growth and life change in others.
The goal of inspiration is to change a life, not grow a church. People who experience life change will reach others, and your church will grow.
The beauty of inspiration is that that the Holy Spirit first inspires us with calling, passion and vision. We are then able to pass it on to others.
In God’s perfect design, He created each of us to inspire others in different ways.
I discuss this in more depth in my book Amplified Leadership, but for now, let me give you a quick list of the primary ways leaders inspire.
- Relationship – You are so good with people they are inspired because of how you love and care for them.
- Strategy – People hate chaos. Any leader who can organize the church to move forward and make progress is inspirational.
- Passion – Leaders who have personalities that “light up the room” can leverage that in strategic ways for the mission of the church.
- Competence – Think of this one like an Olympic athlete. They are so amazingly good at what they do; when you are around them you just want to get better at what you do! Competence inspires!
- Coaching – These leaders have a special skill to bring out the best in others, and they often see that gifting or talent before the person possessing it does. It is inspiring.
Which one is yours?
Perhaps you can add another style of inspiration to the list. (Leave a comment, let us all know!)
One Essential Principle:
An uninspired leader cannot inspire others.
Before you can inspire others, as the leader, you must be inspired yourself. As a leader, it’s your job to show up inspired. No one else is responsible to pump you up!
Internal Inspiration
80% of your personal inspiration as a leader involves self-awareness, maturity, and discipline.
It’s like a young mom or dad with an infant. There is no one there in the middle of the night to hold a pep rally to make them get out of bed and tend to their crying infant. They just get up. They get up because they love their child and have their child’s best interest at heart. They are inspired from within.
Fuel that inspires you from within:
- Your calling to ministry inspires your leadership. Keep your identity clear and your calling fresh and vibrant.
- Your gifting from God inspires your ability to lead others, steward it well.
- Your passion is like inspirational fuel, it keeps you going when leading is difficult, fan the flame of your passion. Remember why you do what you do.
External Inspiration
20% of your personal inspiration comes from external sources, such as someone who loves and believes in you, and perhaps one of those amazing inspirational leaders / communicators.
God didn’t design us to operate independently; He created us to operate as the body of Christ. We need each other, and we help each other. Your teammates help you remain inspired during the tough seasons.
I personally can’t imagine being able to maintain my ability to inspire others without some of the champions who have believed in me over the years. I’m very grateful for their love, belief, and encouragement.
It’s an important part of the process to receive external motivation and encouragement, so your internal inspiration receives that extra stamina.
However, I’m very aware that it’s ultimately my responsibility to be fired up about the mission of the church and helping people grow spiritually.
It’s up to me to maintain a close walk with God so the Holy Spirit can inspire me to keep going in the right direction for the right purposes. In the same way, it’s up to you.
It’s up to you to seek God and the power of the Holy Spirit, aligned with your sense of purpose and calling to remain inspired.
Three helpful practices to help you lead with inspiration:
- Seek the Holy Spirit’s presence and power to keep your heart full of passion. The regular practice of worship, prayer and scripture reading keeps your soul burning bright.
- Keep your ministry calling and purpose clear in your mind and heart. Remember your calling on a regular basis. Write it down. Thank God for it.
- Refresh and refuel your inner resilience by investing time with the right people in the right environments.
