Just four simple components bring about incredible leadership. Inspiration, training, accountability and reward, on an ongoing basis allow you to be the leader everyone wants to follow. The Circle of Successful Leadership is a simple and powerful tool that creates amazing teams and lends itself to leadership equipping simply when followed. It’s also quite self-explanatory.
Inspiration can be just what it sounds like. Tell them stories, show them movies, give them books and audios… all to help them feel the exhilaration of achieving their dreams. And inspiration would be that. But let’s talk about a sew traits that inspire far more than the aforementioned.
Strong communication skills, seeking to understand the person you’re leading by asking good questions and listening intently when they talk will inspire beyond imagination. We all want to feel heard and need to be understood if our organization is to grow. Strong communication skills will inspire as your team will know you’re with them.
Good moral character will inspire too. I teach my team about good character on an ongoing basis; it is one of the core values of our company as a matter of fact. So they know what good should look like. If I mess up in life, I tell them about it and apologize. High moral character inspires. Being transparent takes the inspiration up 10 degrees.
Remember to inspire yourself ongoing and you’ll inspire them just by passing the info on and by living what you’re learning in front of them.
Train them effectively, or take them to someone who can. We live by an acronym… TRAININGS. The stands for:
T- ‘Tell me how you’d do it.’ First see what they know. Their brilliance will show you may not have to train as much as you thought you would. People are smart.
R- ‘Rave about the ‘what’s and whys’.’ When the why is powerful enough, the how is easy. People need to know not just what the system is and how to apply it, but why it is the way it is.
A- ‘Act it out’
I- ‘Inform them as to how to say what needs said, do what needs done.’
N- ‘Need to see it done.’ This is key; people not only need to be told how, but also need to see the system in action.
I- ‘Interact, role play, you leading
N- ‘Need to see you do it
G- ‘Give and take.’ This means role play, with them performing the task and you being the student (or prospect or customer… depending on what’s being taught).
S- ‘Set her free’. Only after following this outline should you have them perform the system on their own.
Be in it for them to succeed so hold them accountable and refer back to what was agreed to in training. Remember, holding accountable means going over what wasn’t done that was agreed to. Accountability follows affective delegation. Once someone has agreed they can perform a function and a date or time has been set for the task to be done, accountability to the proof to them that you care whether or not they succeed.
Reward, reward, reward!!! Praise for a job well done. When someone is new or new to a task it’s crucial to praise even the smallest thing done right. People need noticed for the good they do. Notice with words, cards, small gifts, prizes, trips, trophies, whatever… We humans love praise. Give it to us and we’ll give you more of the behavior you praised us for.
When the people you lead can see growth opportunities, financial and time gain, and more responsibility in their position. the result is loyalty and devotion to the team’s goal. Be sure they know about their gains at all times… Now you’re right back to inspiring again! Hence, the term CIRCLE of Successful Leadership.