Here’s What Scholars Found to be the Magic of Inspiration
Simply put, when we’re inspired, we do more, become more, and ultimately deliver more for ourselves and for our organizations.
Go first. Be an inspiration. American psychologist, Scott Barry Kaufman’s article in Harvard Business Review entitled, “Why Inspiration Matters” points out notable research by Todd M. Thrash and Andrew J. Elliott which shows us just how magical inspiration really is.
For any leader, in any industry, on any level, here’s why inspiration is so impactful. Research tells us, that inspired people:
- Are more open to new experiences
- Have a stronger drive to master their work
- Set higher, more inspired goals for themselves and work harder to attain them
- Experience more purpose and meaning in life
- Reported higher levels of:
- Belief in their own abilities
- Self-esteem
- Optimism
- Creativity
If you’re like me, you’ve likely experienced the good, bad, and ugly in terms of your own leaders throughout your career. It’s quite true that some leaders are definitely better than others.
When we pause and reflect on our most genuine, caring, and inspiring leaders along our journey, we can usually agree on one thing, they somehow transformed our mere jobs into truly meaningful work.
Many people talk down to me, and I’m sure they talk down to you. If you’re reading this as a blog post or a newsletter, chances are, you and I are aligned in some way; perhaps by our beliefs or maybe by our approach to leadership.
When I came across this research I wanted to share it and spread the news to anyone who would listen. Because inspiration does matter. It matters to you, it matters to me, and guess what? It matters to those we lead.
Lean into opportunities to become an inspiration to your team, every single day. When they see you intentionally looking for inspiration, and most importantly, spreading inspiration to them, you can bet they’ll do the same.
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