Each holiday season brings a bevy of hyped movie releases that capture the attention of those of us who enjoy the opportunity to slip away for just a few hours to get lost in a good story. Invictus, starring Morgan Freeman and Matt Damon, is a film based on Nelson Mandela’s leadership after the fall of apartheid in South Africa. An especially compelling part of the story occurs when Mandela poses two questions as he ponders the responsibilities of leadership: “How do we inspire ourselves to greatness when nothing else will do? How do we inspire everyone around us?”
The nature of those two questions is immense, no doubt. What struck me; however, is the significance in the order of the questions. The sequence provides insight into Nelson Mandela’s understanding of leadership greatness. By first asking how we will inspire ourselves to greatness he acknowledges that we must feel inspired ourselves before we can inspire others. As Ann Morrow Lindbergh said, “When one is out of touch with oneself, one cannot touch others.”
Amazing things occur through inspiration. In his book, Inspire!: What Great Leaders Do, (John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2004) my friend and mentor Dr. Lance Secretan notes that “inspiration builds relationships, forms friendships, changes thinking and philosophies, gives birth to new ideas, and shapes lives and hearts.” However, studies continue to show we are faced with an overwhelming number of disengaged employees, an epidemic of “presenteeism’ (present in body but checked-out in energy, enthusiasm and commitment), and individuals who are miserable in their jobs. The Conference Board’s newly released report on job satisfaction (or should I say job dissatisfaction) is alarming. Continuing a 20 year downward trend we have reached a 45% job satisfaction low. It’s clear that the majority of the workforce doesn’t feel inspired by the work they are doing.
There is not a simple answer to resolving the job dissatisfaction crisis.But, I ask: could the issue be, at least in part, leadership that is unenthused and uninspired?
I am reminded of a story of a country doctor who late one night was called out to the backwoods home of one of his patients, an expectant mother who was in labor. There was no electricity in the home, and the only light came from a lantern that the doctor asked the soon-to-be father to hold in the air close to him so the doctor could see what he was doing. After a few minutes, crying was heard, and sure enough, a new baby had arrived. The father, eager to see his child for the first time, put down the light, causing the doctor to cry out, “Lift that light again – there’s another baby coming.” Sure enough, twins! So, again, the father placed the lantern on the floor, and the doctor exclaimed, “Where’s that light? We have triplets!” Amazed, the father asked, “Do you think the light is attracting them?”
Leadership is the light that attracts. Are you giving off the light - the energy, enthusiasm and passion - that inspires others?
Pam Bilbrey is an organizational consultant, executive coach, speaker and author. Her most recent book, Ordinary Greatness: It’s Where You Least Expect It…Everywhere, is a timely wake-up call for people in all walks of life, but especially for those in leadership positions who struggle every day to keep employees engaged and passionate about their work.
Photo courtesy of Kicki, "Light My Fire" by The Doors
