Leadership Tip of the Week: Inspirational Appeal

One of my favorite depictions of a leader onscreen is William Wallace in Braveheart. He is tough, a diplomat, a relationship builder and a conflict manager (although I don’t recommend that you solve your conflict with a sword). The movie does a great job of capturing the rise and fall of a leader and the legacy left behind.

What William Wallace models throughout the movie is how to make an inspirational appeal to your team. It is a two-part act. The first part is creating a sense of optimism and the second part is attaining a shared vision.

Optimism – Leaders need to maintain a positive mindset and convey a sense of optimism to ensure that their team applies positive energy and emotions. A leader should instill a sense of confidence in their team through this approach. In turnaround situations, leaders may need to instill hope in their team before they build optimism.

Shared Vision – A shared vision leads to buy-in and a sense of ownership. It allows team members to align efforts and see how they can contribute to the success of the team. This gives them a sense of meaning — showing that that their effort matters and they can make a difference.

Leaders don’t have to channel William Wallace and make a riveting speech. They just need to build a sense of optimism and align their team with a shared vision. This will inspire them to put forth their best effort without having to use the blue face paint.

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