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Pastor and civil rights activist, Martin Luther King, inspired millions with his “I have a dream” speech in 1963, a time when African American rights were all but non-existent. It was this enigmatic man who stirred a nation with his clear vision that rallied support throughout the U.S. while his message resonated throughout the world, according to Isabel Rut.
By challenging the status quo, he inspired people by his non-violence approach to his protest, and he inspired people to dream of a world where “little white boys and little white girls, will be able to hold hands with little black boys and black girls, as sisters and brothers.” King mobilized a generation to apply creativity in non-violent confrontations as a catalyst to enable lasting change. As a role model, his mission to empower all citizens influenced the nation by trusting in his unwavering commitment to establishing equal rights. His vision continues to inspire generations to believe that everyone has an equal place on this Earth, and everyone can coexist.
Inspirational leaders share many common characteristics, but their overarching trait is their ability to develop and articulate a forward-thinking vision. By broadcasting positive energy and defining a better end state, these leaders can inspire their people to accompany them in their journey into greatness.
Steve Jobs, for example, inspired trust in his leadership through a series of initiatives that resulted in resounding success. His unrelenting vision to bring personal computing into the hands of all by miniaturization and innovative applications brought about the launch of ingenious powerful devices such as the iMac, iPod, and iPhone. His effective branding campaigns, stylish designs and self-imposed salary of one dollar per year, mobilized the support of his colleagues, employees, consumers and the industry, as competitors scrambled to develop similar products to compete against Apple devices.
Jobs’ ability to articulate his vision left Apple with a sustainable competitive advantage and propelled them to a level of success unimagined by his predecessors. Leaders who are inspirationally motivating challenge their team with high standards, communicate optimism about future goals, and provide meaning for the task at hand. They understand that their people need to have a strong sense of purpose if they are to be motivated to act and use their skill as a great communicator to make the vision understandable, precise, compelling, and engaging.
When this takes place, their people are willing to invest more effort in their tasks, they are encouraged and optimistic about the future, and they believe that their work is the fulfillment of a higher purpose.
If you ever have that privilege of working in that type of environment with that type of leader, chances are you were in the presence of an inspirational leader. They can create a forward-thinking vision commonly conceived through collaboration with an unwavering commitment towards the fulfillment of their goals.
Have you ever been in the presence of a leader who inspired you by their passion and vision?
Have you ever been part of a group or leading a team that was energized by a shared vision?
It is the most fulfilling, gratifying, and empowering feeling one can ever have, especially if you are the leader; because you are guiding, inspiring, challenging, and building a team towards the achievement of that vision. When you are hitting your milestones and achieve your goal, WoW, it’s exhilarating, and everyone in your company is inspired to believe that the impossible is possible.
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The Inspirational Leader
Easy to read and follow. I read the entire book in two days and couldn’t put it down. The author used quotes from some of the greatest leaders of all times and put things in very relatable perspectives. Many of the recommendations he has given are easy to put into practice. This book gave me the motivation to continue to use my gift to inspire, motivate and inflect my leadership abilities into my new team to help develop them into the leaders of tomorrow. Great read.
If you are entering leadership or are already in a leadership position, The Inspirational Leader by Gifford Thomas is a MUST READ! I honestly believe this book should be a required reading before anyone enters a leadership position. Ricky Ramirez Speaker at Real Talk
Perfect read for both new and experienced leaders!Even the most experienced leaders need a source of inspiration from time to time! ALISON BROWNE
The Inspirational Leader: Inspire Your Team to Believe The Impossible offers some great insights into the best approaches to leadership. Was well written and a very easy read.....N.E
Amazing Read! What an excellent read! I highly recommend!!! Richard Dye
This book was excellent... hit the points that are needed for successful organization and change management for the millennials. Marsha Barrow Smith
I've read this book and it's amazing!! Donald Bibbero
Another great leadership advice from Gifford Thomas Strongly recommend to read his book:) Shani Zehra Naqvi
For your copy of The Inspirational Leader, Inspire Your Team To Believe In The Impossible,
