What is the difference between a leader and a great leader? The answer is motivational leadership. Let me take you through the overall importance of leadership, the fundamental theories of motivation in management, and how you can incorporate motivational leadership into your leadership style by following in the footsteps of badass lady leaders who came before you.
First, let’s take a deep dive into what motivational leadership is, and what it isn’t.
Motivational Leadership Definition – What It Takes To Be A Good Leader
So, what’s the difference between a leader and a motivational leader? Motivational leadership isn’t just about leading your people from A to B and getting the result you want. It’s about giving people the tools and self-belief they need to accomplish any task put in front of them.
We’ve all experienced bad leadership. That boss who made you feel worthless when you messed up, or that teacher who pointed out every flaw. While these types of leaders can sometimes get results, they often destroy the self-esteem and confidence of their team members. This is a clear-cut path toward dissatisfaction and uninspiring work.
A good leader inspires others with confidence. You want your team to feel confident and supported enough to take action, try new things, and suggest new ideas. Leadership and motivation help your team grow, inspiring them to submit better work every single day instead of demanding the bare minimum and leaving them too scared to try anything new.
Theories of Motivation in Management
Now for the big question: how do you motivate people? There are many theories of motivation in management out there. Most of them can be boiled down to creating an environment that maintains the perfect balance between two things: ‘wants’ and ‘needs’.
To effectively carry out motivational leadership, you need to address the ‘wants’ and ‘needs’ of your team. Think of ‘needs’ as the tangible side of leadership. You need to provide your team with decent pay, a safe space to work, reasonable benefits and access to the right tools and resources. ‘Needs’ are the easiest things to provide and are the essential fundamentals of being a good leader. The gap between leadership and motivational leadership lies within the ‘wants’.
‘Wants’ is how I refer to the emotional needs of your team. Things like respect, affirmation, status, belongingness, and self-esteem fall inside the ‘wants’ category. To be a motivational leader and truly inspire people, you need to address these ‘wants’. Whether it be through team-building exercises, encouraging new ideas, or rewarding awesome work, find out what your team ‘wants’ and use it to inspire. The idea is to inspire self-motivation, leadership qualities, and groundbreaking ideas from your team that will not only skyrocket your business but also their self-worth and capability.
Inspiration Leaders: Female Badasses and How To Become One
If you’re looking for inspiration for women leaders, there is plenty out there. From international names like Brene Brown to Aussie legends like Lisa Corduff, there are so many inspirational business leaders worth looking up to. The question is, what makes them such great leaders and what can you learn from their leadership styles?
What The Most Inspirational Business Leaders Have in Common
What I see across all the powerful female leaders I know is one universal truth.
Leaders inspire others.
To truly emulate these awesome leaders, you need to ask yourself, why is inspiration important in leadership? Who truly inspires you, and why?
Is it because they encourage you? Because they lead by example? Because of their backstory or their accomplishments or their attitude? Once you know what inspires you, you can take the steps toward inspiring others and becoming a motivational leader in your own right.
Where to From Here
Need more guidance? Stop trying to figure everything out on your own and get advice from someone who has created not 1 but 2 successful 6-figure businesses. Let’s hop on a 30-minute discovery call where we can chat about your goals, struggles and how I can help you as your business consultant/coach. BOOK YOUR CALL HERE.
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Have an awesome day,
Angela
