Transcript
What makes an inspiring leader is getting things done. But, in our society, in the way business is done today, it’s kind of overly valued. For me, an inspiring leader is way more than that. She is able to organize the work of other team members, as well as developing the team members. It means she’s brave in taking the decision, when needed, to let people go from her department so that they can get a better job in another department, or moving sideways. But she is also brave in pushing them out if they’re not the right persons in the right positions. She’s also looking outside for new ideas and she is sharing largely a vision. She’s also nurturing yourself, developing your own skills as well as valuing your well-being by embodying a good work-life balance. This is what’s inspiring.
Why is it important to inspire, to motivate, and to share a vision in leadership? Well, the need of people is to have a sense of purpose, to feel good about oneself. Every employee should understand why they do what they do, and they should be supported to be able to do their task in the best way possible. When you’re working across departments, you know, an I.T team working in isolation, they feel like a mailbox. People are just dropping stuff and they’re giving it back, and it’s not motivating. It’s kind of working in a defence way; you cannot really engage. I think, when you get people involved, you share their vision, and you motivate them, they work so much better.
he example, for me, was a Black Friday at Zalando. 30 people joining a call to make decisions on [a] the Sunday morning, just before the Cyber Monday. Because, you know, they were so passionate and engaged in the project -because they knew why they were doing what they were doing, for the success of the company- that they were willing to work at the weekend! That’s for me how you inspire people and engage them. They know where they’re going and they feel motivated to participate in the success of a common task.
