Inspiring Your Team in Good Times and Bad

A man in a suit and tie is standing in front of a group of people sitting around a table.

Inspiring and Motivating People: The #1 Correlate of Outstanding Leadership

Good things happen when people are motivated and inspired. Creative juices flow, ideas proliferate, people work harder, productivity rises, and results improve. When this motivation is sparked by the leader, the organization or the country can thrive and survive the toughest of times.

In more than 40 years of coaching and studying effective and ineffective leaders as well as starting numerous entrepreneurial companies myself, one factor has stood out above all others. In large established corporations, growing start-ups and organizations in every industry around the world, what makes a leader most effective is the ability to inspire people. This means giving them vision and mission, and motivating them through the leader’s own optimism, energy, confidence, enthusiasm, determination, and commitment. This is even more important in the challenging times we live in today.

In my research on over 1800 leaders, utilizing 360 ratings and personality measures, being an inspirational leader was the #1 correlate of leadership effectiveness . This was measured by an average of 12 raters being asked to rate the leader on “Overall Leadership Effectiveness,” after they had completed ratings on 47 dimensions of leadership and management, social skills, problem-solving, character and decision making. When I dug deep into the data, it clearly showed that leaders who can light a fire under people, had unique characteristics that helped them serve as an inspiration to others. They excelled at building trust, showing confidence in the organization's ability to achieve its goals, instilled hope and motivated and energized people to persevere.

Why is the ability to inspire people so important?

Sure, people are motivated by making money and achieving financial security. Money is important, but not the only or even the most important motivator of employees. As many have said before, a compelling vision, dedication to a meaningful mission gets people mobilized. But, a leader’s optimism and enthusiasm, integrity, resilience, supportiveness and self-assurance are also critical in inspiring people to follow. It has been said that paychecks can’t buy passion. Engaged and motivated employees are far more likely to excel and to exceed performance targets. They have genuinely bought into the cause.

The ability to motivate people plays a vital role at every stage of company growth. Leaders of early stage as well as established organizations are constantly called upon to motivate people during many of the organization’s everyday challenges and problems. This is even more important in the kind of difficult times an organization will inevitably encounter, when obstacles seem to be piling up and people are becoming stressed or demoralized.

Your ability to lead will be tested when your team members are feeling discouraged about their own performance challenges, by organizational setbacks or economic downturns, by conflicts with coworkers, company politics and their own personal life problems. At this point in time, the coronavirus pandemic threatens the lives and the livelihood of all of us. This requires inspirational leadership.

If you are a leader, you can inspire by the words you speak, the vision you convey, the encouragement and support you offer, but most of all by your example. People are always watching the leader. It is well known that we humans learn best by emulating an example. The leader’s commitment, focus, follow-through and values are always on display, and set the tone for others.

A deeper dive into what helps leaders inspire and motivate people

They are vision and mission driven

Leaders can inspire people when they paint a clear vision of what they want to accomplish and can skillfully and persuasively communicate this vision. But the vision must be followed with a credible plan. Ideas and big dreams are not enough. Many leaders feel destined to do something significant, even something great with their lives. The most effective leaders turn their dreams into a realistic and actionable strategic plan.

“He sold me on the long-term vision when he interviewed me for the job. I joined the company because he told a compelling story and I wanted to be part of it.”

Ask yourself, have you formulated a clear and compelling vision for yourself and your organization?
Have you shared that vision enough times and with enough clarity that others truly get it?
Have you turned this vision from a picture in your own head into a plan that people can understand and believe in?

They see the big picture and communicate its meaning to others

In order to create a vision and a solid strategy, a leader must be able to understand the broad context: market trends, technology trends, economic patterns, the competitive landscape etc. and then be able to see the subtle connections, relationships, and implications of internal and external events. When the leader sees things that others don’t recognize, their insights can create products and potential markets that others just don’t see. This helps their decisions and the organization’s actions to have greater impact.

It’s easy to let the tyranny of the urgent and the need to accomplish an endless stream of daily tasks cause you to lose perspective on the broader significance of what you do. Excessive urgency can cause a leader to make a series of reactive decisions without consideration of the larger mission and long-term priorities.

“His forward-thinking view is amazing,” one person said of her boss. “This has helped the team stay focused on delivering on today’s challenges while keeping in mind where we are going over the long-term.”

But, seeing around corners and having a vision in your head isn’t enough. People tend to follow leaders who have clearly communicated where the organization is headed. Turning vision into strategy allows people to link their actions with the organization’s broader objectives. Teams need to be aligned around a “North Star” and avoid getting distracted by unimportant details. Through emails and texts, slack channels, all-hands meetings, videoconference and frequent updates, inspirational leaders continuously share their vision with followers. These things help employees see why their actions are important and where their job fits in the larger plan.

“He is able to paint a clear picture and turn it into a clear road map. Hearing his vision for the company and for our group gives us a sense of confidence and excitement for what’s to come.”

“Her clear picture of the future and ability to link our current work to the long-term strategy helps us understand our roles and feel connected to the vision.”

They are genuinely optimistic, cheerful, and enthusiastic

The most effective leaders uplift the people around them with their upbeat demeanor and a consistently hopeful, optimistic outlook. They have a positive view of the world and genuinely tend to see the good and the potential in others. They don’t dwell on negative events and people’s shortcomings. However, their optimism is grounded and realistic, not naïve. And it’s not contrived. They don’t speak in feel-good platitudes. Their positive attitude brings out the best in others.

“She is optimistic, cheerful, and enthusiastic. Her positive energy and confidence in our ultimate success inspires team members to push themselves.”

“He never, ever transmits negative energy to the team, even in the most difficult situations. He has been genuinely optimistic during some really tough times.”

They communicate hope in tough times

Part of the job of any leader is to be Chief Inspirational Officer, on a daily basis. It is easy to be cheerful when things are flowing smoothly but life is not always like that. All organizations (as all of us as individuals) have down times when the going is rough, obstacles seem bigger, and it is hard to maintain motivation and focus. Leaders who are inspirational motivate people with their positive attitude and can-do spirit. Employees recognize and appreciate this:

“His optimism, positive outlook and sense of humor helped to keep everything in perspective during tough times."

“Without her positive attitude, the bleakest days would have been too much to take.”

They love their work, and this is infectious

Inspiring leaders consistently have extremely high levels of job satisfaction. They truly love their jobs. But more than that: they seem to enjoy their lives, and their work is simply a part of that. They have a passion for their mission and for the daily steps taken toward achieving it. This attitude is contagious and inspires others.

“Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do.” - Steve Jobs

They are models of commitment and value s

When it comes to organizational values, the leader sets the tone. Everyone is always watching. Everything the leaders does makes a speech about what they really value, how they really feel, what frustrates them or who and what gets their time and attention. Leaders must consistently adhere to their own and the organization’s values. Leaders must also show commitment to the organization and its greater good rather than only their self-interest.

Inspiring leaders also model honesty and integrity and this motivates the people around them. Their behavior is guided by principles and an understanding of the implications and ramifications of their decisions and actions. They act authentically, responsibly and in alignment with their values and the mission and values of the organization. They have a strong inner compass, otherwise known as conscience. They walk their talk. They follow through on their commitments. They insist upon fairness, honesty, and integrity.

“He practices all the core values of the organization every day and exhibits the highest standards of personal conduct. He is a perfect role model for any team member to follow.”

Motivating leaders set the standard of commitment for everyone in the organization. They work hard, putting in all the hours needed to do the job as effectively as they can. They show up on time and “own” every aspect of the work. They always do their best, and that commitment inspires others to perform at their best. They don’t avoid difficult or challenging situations, but they keep striving to be successful.

“It definitely makes me feel better when I see her determination, energy, and confidence, particularly when things start to fall apart.”

They show remarkable resilience and level-headedness

Effective leaders also inspire their followers with their calm, steady and consistent style, showing them that they have a firm hand on the wheel, which is reassuring during tough or stressful times. Their composure in times of crisis helps their team remain calm. They recover quickly from setbacks. They keep the big picture in mind and don’t let the small unimportant things upset them. They also take the time to reflect and recharge. This allows them to maintain a certain serenity in situations of loss, failure and crisis.

They offer support and encouragement and show they care

Inspirational leaders also motivate people by being supportive and providing encouragement. They are authentically caring, respectful of others, and willing to listen to people on all levels of the organization. They make a concerted effort to boost the self-esteem of their followers and help them believe in themselves, what they can accomplish, and understand how their work contributes value to the organization. This attitude of helpfulness is genuine and unselfish and unleashes the potential in people. And it fosters loyalty. These leaders know that their own effectiveness depends on bringing the best out of their people.

So, my advice here is to be lavish with praise and recognition – where it is deserved.

Increase the ratio of praise to criticism
Praise specific behaviors and achievements
Look for employees doing things that are positive and valuable to the organization, and show your appreciation
Recognize and celebrate accomplishments
Deliver praise as soon after the event as possible

They know how to get buy-in

Inspiring leaders motivate people by making an effort to enlist their support, ask for their input, genuinely consider their needs and opinions and get them to feel part of the solution or initiative. They know that they can’t create a successful business alone. They know they need cooperation and support for their proposals from a variety of stakeholders if they are going to accomplish their goals.

They have the ability to influence, persuade and motivate others to support their initiatives. They systematically identify key individuals and organizations whose support is essential and what are the things that each of these stakeholders’ values. Then they propose their ideas or initiative to them in a manner that combines persuasion based on a credible command of the facts with a willingness to listen and adjust to their needs, values, priorities and concerns.

Building support requires dialogue, really hearing others perspective and the reasons for their resistance. They understand how to influence rather than demanding, intimidating or just pushing too hard. This simply creates resistance. They understand that proactively involving people in problem-solving or decision-making helps to build cooperation and support because they become part of the solution and their points of view and suggestions may not only be useful but makes them feel a part of the solution.

They show confidence without arrogance

Inspirational leaders are confident and secure, and their teams can sense this. They simply feel that they have what it takes to succeed, and this is reassuring to their followers. In other words, they are comfortable in their own skin. They are not plagued by fear or insecurity. They believe in themselves. As a result, they don’t hesitate to take charge when the situation requires them to do so. Their sense of self-worth is solid and secure without arrogance, pride and hubris.

Many are quite modest about their accomplishments and openly admit that they have weaknesses. They reflect upon their past successes and failures and recognize and learn from them. As one direct report put it, “His confidence inspires us, but he is also humble and always willing to learn.” This causes others to see them as human, authentic and unpretentious. They are simply real; what you see is what you get.

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Why smart leaders are the hardest to to work for.

Why Smart Leaders Struggle with People

By Rich Hagberg • March 30, 2026

Some of the smartest leaders you will ever meet are also some of the hardest people to work with. They are fast, perceptive, and unusually strong at solving hard problems. They see patterns others miss. They cut through ambiguity. They grasp systems, strategy, and complexity at a very high level. In many cases, those gifts are exactly why they became founders, technical leaders, or senior executives. And yet many of these same people leave a trail of strained relationships behind them. Their direct reports feel unseen or intimidated. Peers experience them as dismissive, impatient, or controlling. Their bosses admire their intellect but hesitate to trust them with broader leadership responsibility. At home, partners often feel emotionally alone. Over time, the leader becomes puzzled. They know they are smart, committed, and often right. So why do people keep pulling away, withholding the truth, or failing to fully follow them? The answer is that many high IQ leaders are working from an incomplete model of effectiveness. They assume that if they think clearly, argue logically, work hard, and produce results, the rest should take care of itself. That model can work for a long time in school, in technical roles, and in the early stages of a company. But eventually leadership becomes less about the quality of your own mind and more about your ability to work through the minds, emotions, motivations, and limitations of other people. That is where many smart leaders start to fail. The Core Problem Intelligence is not the problem. It is an asset. The problem is that intelligence often creates distortions. It can make a leader overestimate the power of logic, underestimate the importance of emotion, and develop habits that quietly damage trust. It can also create a subtle arrogance. Not always the loud kind, but the quieter assumption that if other people are slower, less rigorous, or more emotional, they must be the problem. Once a leader starts living inside that assumption, interpersonal trouble becomes almost inevitable. Five Common Patterns 1. Overreliance on reason Many bright leaders treat relationships as if they are mainly cognitive systems. If there is disagreement, they explain more. If someone is upset, they analyze the issue. If morale is low, they offer strategy. If a direct report feels discouraged, they give solutions. In their minds they are being helpful and efficient. But the other person often feels bypassed. Their emotional reality is treated as noise rather than information. Their need to be heard is mistaken for a need to be corrected. This is a major blind spot in analytical leaders. They often do not realize that understanding is not the same as persuasion, and problem solving is not the same as relationship building. A person can agree with your logic and still not trust you. They can accept your decision and still lose commitment because the relational cost was too high. 2. Impatience High horsepower people often process faster than the people around them. They see the answer early. They get bored by slower thinking, frustrated by repetition, and irritated when others need more context than they do. This can make them decisive and productive. It can also make them hard to work with. They interrupt. They jump ahead. They finish other people’s sentences. They push past concerns before others feel understood. They make those around them feel slow, clumsy, or not worth listening to. This teaches the organization something dangerous. It teaches people that the leader’s mind is the only one that really counts. The safest strategy becomes speaking briefly, deferring quickly, or waiting until the leader has already decided. Then the leader complains that the team is passive or not taking ownership. What they often do not see is that the culture has adapted to them. 3. Emotional underdevelopment hidden by cognitive strength Very bright people can use intellect as a defense against emotional discomfort. They can analyze instead of feel. They can explain instead of reflect. They can argue instead of absorb. They can move to abstraction when the deeper issue is shame, fear, insecurity, hurt, or loneliness. They are often unaware this is happening. They do not experience themselves as defended. They experience themselves as rational. But leadership requires emotional range. Not sentimentality. Not therapeutic language. Real range. The ability to notice your own reactions before they control your behavior. The ability to tolerate feeling wrong, uncertain, criticized, or less competent than you want to appear. The ability to stay present when another person is disappointed, anxious, or angry without immediately shutting it down, fixing it, or counterattacking. Leaders who cannot do this often become brittle. They look composed until challenged in just the wrong way. Then out comes defensiveness, coldness, contempt, withdrawal, or overcontrol. 4. Low interpersonal curiosity Smart leaders are often highly curious about ideas, products, markets, and strategy, but not necessarily about people. They know how to interrogate problems, but not always how to explore another person’s inner world. They ask what happened, but not what it felt like. They want the conclusion, not the hesitation. They want the output, not the psychology. People do not trust leaders simply because they are competent. They trust leaders who show that they are trying to understand them. Interpersonal curiosity communicates respect. A leader does not have to agree with someone to make that person feel seen. But when the leader skips that step, people feel reduced to functions rather than treated as human beings. 5. Weak awareness of impact Many smart leaders are genuinely surprised by how strongly people react to them. They tell themselves, “I was just being direct,” or “I was only asking a question.” In their own minds, intent carries most of the moral weight. If they did not mean harm, then the reaction seems excessive. But leadership does not work that way. Impact matters because power magnifies everything. A passing comment from a founder can ruin a weekend. A skeptical look from a senior executive can silence a room. A blunt critique can stick in someone’s head for months. High IQ leaders often underestimate this because they evaluate themselves from the inside while everyone else experiences them from the outside. That gap sits at the center of many 360 feedback problems. The Identity Trap There is another layer here. Some smart leaders have been rewarded for being exceptional for so long that they quietly build their identity around being the smartest person in the room. They may not say it out loud. They may even dislike arrogance in others. But inside, being quick, insightful, and right has become central to their sense of worth. Once that happens, other people’s competence can feel threatening. Feedback becomes harder to absorb. Collaboration becomes more performative than real. The leader listens selectively, especially when they believe the other person is less capable. They become invested in remaining the mental center of gravity. That is a dangerous place to lead from. It turns intelligence into status defense. It makes humility feel like loss. It makes genuine curiosity harder. And it makes the leader lonelier than they realize, because very few people feel close to someone who always has to occupy the top intellectual position. The Shift That Matters The good news is that these problems are workable. In fact, smart leaders often improve quickly once they see the pattern clearly. Their intelligence then becomes an ally rather than a shield. But improvement requires a shift in model. Leadership is not just about being right. It is about creating enough trust, clarity, and psychological safety that the best thinking of the group can emerge. Your job is not merely to contribute your intelligence. It is to increase the total intelligence of the system. That means treating emotions as information rather than interference. It means becoming curious about your own interpersonal signature. What happens to people in your presence when you are under pressure. Do they get more open or more cautious. More honest or more political. More energized or more tense. Those are not soft questions. They are the real scorecard of leadership impact. It also means slowing down your certainty just enough to make room for other minds. Ask one more question before concluding. Stay with the other person’s frame a little longer. Notice when you are moving to solution because you are uncomfortable with uncertainty or emotion. Let people finish. Reflect before rebutting. And it means understanding that warmth and strength are not opposites. Many analytical leaders fear that becoming more emotionally intelligent will make them softer or less respected. The opposite is usually true. Leaders become more effective when people experience them as both rigorous and fair, both clear and human, both demanding and safe enough to tell the truth to. Practical Experiments A few simple practices can help. In your next one on one, spend more time understanding than advising. In your next disagreement, summarize the other person’s view in a way they agree is accurate before stating your own. In your next leadership meeting, track how often you interrupt, redirect, or signal impatience. After a difficult conversation, ask yourself not only whether your point was valid, but what emotional residue you likely left behind. Ask two trusted people what it feels like to disagree with you, and listen without defending. Final Thought Human beings are not engineering problems. They are not solved by superior reasoning alone. They need respect, steadiness, dignity, trust, and emotional attunement. That is why so many smart leaders struggle. Not because they are too intelligent, but because they have leaned on the wrong part of themselves for too long. At a certain point in leadership, your mind stops being the main differentiator. Plenty of people are smart. What becomes rarer is the ability to combine intelligence with self awareness, candor with sensitivity, high standards with trust, and authority with emotional maturity. That is when a smart leader becomes someone people actually want to follow.