In his book Fire Them Up! Author Carmine Gallo reveals seven simple secrets discovered during research for his book.

These ideas are based on the fact that every leader is called upon to bring people together. Either to address a challenge, or celebrate a win, leadership communication is critical to the success of any organization. When we think of leadership communication, the ability to build an emotional connection is key to going beyond the ‘boss’ title and into the role of a leader. Leaders change behavior by changing peoples mindset.

Consider how you are, or can begin applying, the following seven techniques to INSPIRE your people as a leader:

1. Ignite Your Enthusiasm.
   Think of a time when you were excited by a message shared by a leader you know. Perhaps it was a parent, a minister, a coworker, or a friend. Connect right now with the emotions you felt as you heard the excitement and energy from that person. As a leader you are called upon to be the sincerely excited in order to ignite passion in others. To get this one right, it must come from the heart.
2. Navigate the way to success with a consistent, memorable vision.
   Imagine you are a passenger in a car with three other people, and the leader is the driver. Now picture yourself sitting in the back seat, with your eyes closed, wearing a blindfold. How do you feel as the car moves quickly forward, toward an unknown destination. The leader who is driving has not told you, or anyone else where you are going, or when you will get there. This is what can happen when a leader does not communicate the vision, goals, and milestones that will create mutual success. Avoid creating prisoners – share your vision often and in clear terms, while remaining open to questions.
3. Sell the benefit by putting your listeners first.
   The challenge about having and sharing a great idea is that it may not seem great to other people. As a leader, your goal is to present a clear vision in an open and neutral manner. Neutral means the following: After presenting the idea, it’s benefits, and other facts and data, stop, wait, and listen for views from other people. This can prove challenging, especially when you have IGNITED your own enthusiasm. By learning to do this on a regular basis, you communicate your willingness to listen, instead of your ability to lecture.
4. Paint a picture with powerful, memorable, actionable stories.
   A long time ago I used to live on a ranch in California, called Mountain Wolf. It was peaceful and down to earth; horses were in the barn, chickens clucked in the yard. There was a pond down a dirt road and in the summer I would sit down at the waters edge and listen to the sounds of nature. Dragonflies would flicker over the water, turtles would peek up from below it’s surface, and the cattails would sway gently, making a slight rustling sound.
   
   As a leader, it is important to be able to help other people see what you are seeing. The skill of using stories is to choose them carefully; be it a personal story, or a story you read and want to share. The power of story telling is that it invites others to join you on a brief adventure. In the story above, there is no mention of any particular colors. Leaving this one detail out, means you were able to paint the picture in your own way. Were the horses brown or tan? Were the dragonflies red or green? The key is to leave somethings to the imagination because it engages and personalizes the message you are sharing in a sincere way. Stories are a great way to avoid the perception that you live in an ivory tower, by showing your humanity in an honest way.
5. Invite participation by asking for input and dealing with objections.
   To connect with people, a leader must demonstrate appreciation whenever possible. Think of a time when a friend asked you for advice. How did you feel? What did you say? Who was this person to you? It is likely that you were honored, humbled, or perhaps excited to have been asked for your views on their personal concern. As a leader the subject may be work related, by the connection is still personal. By being quick to ask for input, and ready to respond – not react – to different points of view, you demonstrate a clear appreciation for the time, energy, and commitment of your people. This is a connection that far outweighs money and rewards, because it’s about being able to SEE those with whom you work, instead of looking past them toward your own personal goals.
6. Reinforce an optimistic outlook by becoming a beacon of hope.
   Every leader becomes weary, tired, and worn out from time to time – there is no need to be super human. At the same time, there is great power in choosing your words wisely in order to create a positive outlook, even when times are tough. A place where this is most visible is in the process of being a parent. With challenges from every angle, many parents find the strength and grace to remain positive, knowing that they are asked to make sure everything will be okay. The core concern is the morale of those with whom you work, and as a leader, people will look to you to find out if ‘everything will be okay’, in good times and bad a leader must stand tall.
7. Encourage people to reach their potential by praising and investing in them.
   Who in your life has said something to you that raised you up? What do you remember about what they said and how you felt? Now, think of a person who seems to consistently offer sincere praise and encouragement. The key to leadership skill is the frequency of praising and investing in your people. To offer praise that is timed, planned, or expected is to diminish the message you wish to send. It is key to look for opportunities to praise people, and invest in their well-being that are not scheduled or planned. This does not mean a recognition ceremony should be scrapped; it does mean it can’t be the only time praise is given. When the culture becomes one of praise and investment on a regular basis, then a recognition ceremony tends to have even more value, because it reflects the culture, instead of highlighting what is absent throughout the year.

When you seek to connect with people as a leader, start by asking yourself: How can I show my appreciation? This is a simple way to have an attitude of gratitude that affects everyone in the organization. The lasting impact of inspirational leadership is the ability to build connections that transcend projects and deadlines, because they recognize and reinforce individual greatness.

DARE TO BE GREAT!
Your LQ Team