What We Can Learn About Inspirational Leadership From This Election

Whether you supported John McCain or President-elect Obama last week, one thing is clear – America was ready for change and was looking for a new kind of leader. With Americans currently living through some very tumultuous times – two wars and the potential of a severe recession – this past week’s historic election reflected the country’s need and desire for a leader who inspires and provides hope. As it turned out, this election wasn’t about race, gender or age – it was about our need for inspirational leadership and our need for confidence in a leader to get us through difficult times and move us forward into better days.

Now is the time for strong leadership everywhere – at work, at home, in our communities. How you step up to that challenge/opportunity will directly relate to the impact you have. There is a lot to learn about what we call “Inspirational Leadership” from Barack Obama’s campaign.

Let’s look at some of what he did effectively. First, in order to bring people together, he recognized our differences and listened to our perspectives. Then he connected with us on our terms – in person, online, via email and text message – and he personalized the issues so that each of us understood how his proposals impacted us individually. He was intentional on reaching across the generations by his multi-communication mediums. Finally, he empathized and connected with us through his compelling vision which was rooted in his past and future dreams that was representative of others across the country.

This inspirational, high-touch leadership style is what people need in a time of fear, ambiguity and great change. We all need a sense of hope. People may not be sure how President-elect Obama will execute on his pledge for change but voters responded because he was meeting them where they are. Obama’s leadership style — leading with the heart – inspires by creating a vision of a better place. A majority of voters didn’t have to know how he was going to get us there, but they had to believe he could and that it was worth their while to contribute and/or participate.

Inspirational leaders still have to have substance behind their words so their followers really can believe there is a chance of reaching their vision. At the appropriate time, President-elect Obama will have to show there is a plan. He appears to be moving quickly in that direction with, as promised, a collaborative effort. We all need to collaborate in this day and age, and collaboration is a big piece of implementation of any leadership plan – hearing different views and getting buy-in.

What lessons and tips did this election provide for your own leadership style in difficult times?

1. Assess your environment, connect with folks and lead from your heart as well as your head. Where are people in their moods and their thought processes? What do they need from their leaders? How do they want to be communicated with? Once you have those answers, you can use your own leadership to stabilize the situation, bring hope and inspire. We are coming out of a time when much of political and corporate leadership has come from the head. With fear and ambiguity being felt by many people, leaders who provide hope and inspire – those who lead from the heart – will be the most successful. Pay attention to the reaction of those around you and learn when to insert yourself and how – with the right leadership muscle at the right time, the right voice at the right moment.
2. Keep your message clear, concise and consistent. One of the things I most admired about President-elect Obama’s communication during the campaign was his consistency and continuity of message. Also, in his style, his approach and his voice, he stayed centered and he didn’t waiver. This gave the perception of his stability and perception is reality for most of us. By staying on message as well as centered in debate conflict and in other situations on the campaign trail, President-elect Obama gave the perception of a sense of inner confidence which, in turn, inspired confidence in the rest of us. Communicating effectively and portraying inner confidence is especially important for leaders in business today.
3. Surround yourself with the right people. President-elect Obama has pledged to put very diverse people around him – some with experience, some with new ideas, a group of people representative of America – and people who will challenge his perspectives. Put people around you who are smart, innovative and who will challenge your assumptions. Include people who will stretch you, and who won’t sugar coat the issues, as your own personal Board of Directors. Listen to them and collaborate with them.

These are challenging times – but in these challenges are opportunities. It is important for all of us to realize the significant impact we can have in our organizations at this time. At SHAMBAUGH, we have seen many people accepting this challenge and digging deep to be the best leaders they can be. An unprecedented number of people have sought out our Executive Coaching in recent months and there is a greater focus on the inspirational leadership style and its impact on organizations and the bottom line. As a nation, as companies, and as business leaders, it is our challenge, our opportunity and, indeed our responsibility, to find the inspirational leadership in each of us.

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