Be a good example. People watch what you do more than they
listen to what you say. Be someone worth emulating.
Care about others. People don't care about how much you
know until they know how much you care. Ask questions. Take a
genuine interest in people.
Encouragement. Everyone goes through tough times. When you
support people and encourage them through these times, you'll
be inspiring them to see the best in themselves and in the
situation.
Be inspired yourself. Look for people, ideas, environments
and knowledge that you find inspiring and motivating.
Share from your own experience. You have more to share than
you realize. Mine the rich experiences of your life and share
your wisdom from your unique point of view. You may be the
only one who can touch someone with your inspiring message.
Be vulnerable. Be willing to share your failures as well as
your successes. Others will relate to you. They'll understand
that they're not the only ones with challenges.
Tell stories. Facts tell and stories sell. They inspire,
too. We learn best from parables and we all need to develop
our own inspiring stories.
Be a good communicator. Increasing your ability to
communicate effectively is a critical element for you to
inspire others. Watch how you speak and what you say. Invest
in your communication skills.
Challenge people. Many of us have had teachers who at times
seemed more like tormentors than mentors. They challenged us
to do our best, and we were better for it. Practice
"carefrontation"--the careful and caring confrontation of
others.
Read. It may not follow that all readers are leaders, but
certainly all leaders are readers. Stay informed. Share what
you read with others. Tell people about books that have
inspired you. Share the knowledge.
By Michael Angier
We all know people who are inspiring. But just how does one
inspire others? Here are ten simple ways you can inspire
people to be their best: