Enthusiasm, inspiration and eagerness are very powerful motivational states. They’re not just powerful either, they’re 100% free! Inspiration and motivation are together; the difference between those who look good on paper, and those who turn every project they touch into gold. Being able to inspire others around you to pursue their own goals is therefore clearly a key aspect of leadership.

1. Talk to their Dreams. It’s an unfortunately but likely fact that many members of the teams you work in do not genuinely want to do the task you’ve set them. Perhaps they want to be running their own business, or get married. They probably going to have a grand plan as to how they are going to acheive these goals. These alternative goals are wrongly viewed as ‘distractions’ by many leaders across industries.

This need not be the case.

As a leader, what you must to do is to individually show your team mates that their current task will take them one small step closer towards their dreams.

Easier said than done? Well let me give you a few examples:

If a fellow collegues dream is to run their own business; don’t let them become demotivated by the fact that they’re currently failing to achieive that dream. Instead, emphasise on how working on their project will eventually help them in the long term. Explain how your collegue will pick up ideas or learn skills from this task that will prepare them for entrepeneurial life. Show that when they do become a businessman, they will have an edge over their competitors.

If a team-mates dream is to obtain a senior position within the company, then you can mention the transferable skills they’ll gain from this task and be able to put on their CV for their next promotion. Explain that this will give them a fighting chance at being noted by management as a potential leader.

I am conveying a simple technique that requires little thought yet delivers big results.

All work gives experience in one form or another; meaning all work can help the people around you fulfill many different types of goals,you only have to understand this and point it out to your collegues or friends when it isn’t obvious. Once your leadership shows them that their current task actually slots neatly into their grand plan, they’ll take care of the rest.

As an alternative approach, many inspirations leaders regularly invest in themselves. Leaders have often sought out useful leadership books and learning material that will help them along the path to inspiring others and living a happier life. These days, many e-courses tend to be rather disappointing, but I’m pleased to recommend one e-course that is still respected by leadership professionals such as myself: The 11 Forgotten Laws. It’s generally seen as an essential and core ‘crash course’ in the laws and secrets you need to know to further your leadership & career and even help find happiness in other areas of your life. Its an excellent base upon which you can build your personal development.