What Do Your Surroundings Inspire?
When you think about the term leader, what one word comes to mind?
I've been asking that question a lot lately, and I hear certain words more often than others. Inspiration is one of the top responses. To inspire your team is to give them energy and enthusiasm for the future you create together.
How would you rate your ability to inspire your team? Better yet, how would your team rate you?
Great leaders inspire us to do and to be better. They find ways to bring energy in moments of stress, they help to cross the finish line, and they celebrate achievements. Simply being around these leaders elevates you.
It is quite possible that while inspiring your team, you may be lacking your own inspiration. Who is cheering you on, championing you, and driving your creativity? Consider your daily working environment a key source of inspiration.
Look around your work space. What do you see? Photos, awards, office supplies, diplomas, words of wisdom, plants, a desk stacked with papers, or perhaps several leftover coffee cups? Which of these items delight you, make you smile, or encourage you? I'm guessing the coffee cups do not make the list.
If you scanned your environment and noticed an opportunity to enhance the space, here are a few tips to get started:
First, remove the things getting in the way of inspiration. The coffee cups, the stacks of paper, the picture that causes negative emotion, the potted plant you hoped would bloom and instead shriveled. Removing the things that do not inspire you can free your office and mind of the clutter.
Next, sit in the decluttered space for a few weeks. What would bring you feelings of creativity and inspiration? These are likely things you already own. (Read: This is not an invitation to go shopping and invest in a plethora of items.) You may decide the clean space is what drives innovation, or you may choose to add inspirational items over time.
Finally, check in on your space on a regular basis. If you have a habit of letting things sneak back in (I see those coffee cups), commit to closing the week by leaving your office in a state that brings you positive energy when the new week begins.
Your work space influences your daily energy and mood. Take steps to cultivate a space where creativity flows and transfer those enthusiastic vibes to your team.
Dr. Katie Stone is the founder of Together Evolving. Email Katie at katie.stone@togetherevolving.com to learn more about the transformational impact coaching has on you and your leadership.