Inspiring And Empowering Stakeholders Theology Religion Essay Example

behavior. Kouzes and Posner assert that "exemplary leaders go first," emphasizing the importance of earning the right and respect to lead.

In order to inspire a shared vision, leaders must have a clear understanding of the future that motivates and drives them forward. However, simply having a vision that only the leaders see is not enough to create real progress. The vision must be embraced and accepted by the people in order for them to be inspired to follow.

Challenge the procedure. Leaderships are innovators. They understand well that leading people towards a future requires questioning the current process and experimenting with the risks of failure. Empower others to act.

Leadership is a collective effort, with leaders enabling others to perform well. Therefore, empowerment is vital for achieving results. Foster the spirit and inspire a shared vision, which often requires significant effort and includes both successes and setbacks.

The role of leadership is to encourage members to actively pursue the vision. Although one pattern involves challenging the process, the other four patterns concentrate on motivating and empowering members. In section 6.2, we explore ways in which leaders can inspire individuals to follow them. The distinction between motivation and inspiration, a source of confusion, is clarified in section 6.3. Section 6.4 delves into methods for empowering others and identifies systems that undermine people's sense of empowerment.

Finally, subdivision 6.5 concludes this chapter by discussing how an effective leader can unite actions for inspiration, motivation, and authorization.

Inspiring

The word inspiration comes from the Latin "in spirare" and means 'to take a breath life into others'. It implies being in spirit. It is something that fills us with a purpose or calling higher than

ourselves. Inspirational leadership can move people to act on a compelling shared vision.

In summary, the act of animating has a profound effect, appealing more to our emotions rather than our intellect. To inspire, leaders must create resonance and mobilize individuals with a compelling vision. This is achieved by establishing a shared vision that motivates others to take action. Furthermore, leaders must embody the principles they expect from others and foster a sense of common purpose beyond daily tasks. As a result, leaders inspire others through three primary methods: communicating a shared vision, serving as a role model, and aligning systems and structures to reinforce core values and strategic priorities. An inspirational leader who establishes a shared vision generates enthusiasm and passion that encourages others to exceed their own expectations.

The essential trait of an inspiring leader is the ability to effectively communicate and transmit a shared vision that motivates others to take action. Therefore, the act of sharing this vision becomes crucial in inspiring others. Communication involves keeping discussions centered around the vision, values, and outcomes; clarifying assumptions, beliefs, and emotions within oneself and others. It requires striking a balance between advocacy and inquiry.

Interview with an Inspiring Leader

"Consequences are the inspiration," asserts Mr. Fazle Hasan Abed. Over three decades ago, Abed opted to abandon a lucrative position at a prestigious oil company in order to wholeheartedly dedicate himself to the progress of Bangladesh by establishing the Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee (BRAC). Since its inception in 1972, BRAC has flourished into one of the world's largest non-governmental organizations and has made substantial contributions to the advancement of the nation.

According to Mr Abed, being a successful leader requires

unwavering dedication and commitment to one's work. He emphasizes that this commitment must be wholehearted. Additionally, he highlights the importance of one's lifestyle and mindset in leadership. If an individual is not diligent in their own pursuits, they will find it challenging to inspire others to exert effort. Mr Abed believes that a leader's way of life serves as a source of inspiration for others. He goes as far as saying that BRAC would lack diligence if he himself had not been personally devoted and industrious.

Leadership is not just about talking, it is about living a life that serves as an inspiration to others. When asked how they align their commitment with that of their coworkers and colleagues, they reply by sharing a broader perspective rather than simply practical ideas.

My goal is to effectively communicate my values and inspire colleagues in Bangladesh to share the same enthusiasm and dedication towards their work. It's crucial to emphasize that our work is driven by principles rather than profit. By consistently instilling in people the principles of progress and desired changes in society, we can encourage them to take action. The essential aspect lies in successfully conveying a vision and values.

Mr. Abed has always made the empowerment of the underprivileged and their integration into society a top priority. He stresses that empowering our staff is crucial for empowering the poor, as those who are already disempowered cannot achieve it on their own. "It is essential for our staff to feel empowered in order to empower others," he stated. At the time BRAC was established, Bangladesh was dealing with significant poverty and a large portion of its population was

suffering from hunger.

The situation has significantly improved since then, with a clear distinction between the past and the present. The challenges have also changed, and now BRAC strives to offer a broader range of services and technologies compared to earlier.

Statement about Narrative

Narrative communication is a traditional approach to conveying the vision and values.

Narratives have a greater impact and are more memorable than just stating facts. They capture our attention, entertain us, and can influence behavior. For example, a narrative about a young woman's struggle with unintended pregnancy and the potential dangers of an abortion may be more powerful than presenting statistics on adolescent reproductive health.

In advocating for the power of stories, Kouzes and Posner assert that narratives educate, mobilize, and motivate. They believe that effective storytelling is a significant tool due to its value in both learning and inspiring others. Tichy also acknowledges the importance of stories in guiding organizations towards the future.

Role Modeling

Inspiring others necessitates leaders to demonstrate the behavior they anticipate from their followers. This aligns with Gandhi's famous quote, "be the change you want to see."

Role patterning to animate requires

• Matching works to words
• Demonstrating honestness in interactions
• Showing trust and assurance in staff, acknowledging the part of others
• Supplying staff with challenges, feedback and support
• Being a theoretical account of creativeness, invention and acquisition

The followings of a leader as function theoretical account would demo committedness in chase of higher ends even when reverses occur. Possibly the function modeling is best illustrated by servant leading. Servant leaders chiefly lead by functioning others. The phrase "Servant Leadership" was coined by Robert K. Greenleaf in The Servant as Leader, an essay that he foremost published in 1970 (www.greenleaf.org).

In his

essay, the author emphasizes the importance of being a servant-leader. He explains that a servant-leader starts by having a natural inclination to serve others and then makes conscious choices to prioritize serving others. The key characteristic of a servant-leader is their commitment to ensuring that the highest priority needs of others are being met. The ultimate test of a servant-leader is whether those they serve are growing as individuals and becoming healthier, wiser, more independent, and more likely to become servants themselves. Additionally, the author considers the impact of servant-leadership on society's least privileged individuals, questioning whether they will benefit or continue to be marginalized.

Aligning goals and systems for outcomes

Role modeling alone may not be sufficient to inspire others. It needs to be complemented by effective communication of the vision, direction, and strategy. However, these efforts must also involve aligning goals and systems to achieve desired outcomes.

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Aligning involves planning and implementing systems and structures that support the vision and core values, as well as the direction and strategies. It involves building institutional capacity to consistently produce quality. Organizations need to establish trust with various stakeholders. Aligning work needs to be constantly strengthened. Therefore, alignment requires feedback on how these relationships are functioning.

The key to the rule of alliance is to always consider the consequences. Sometimes there may be a tradeoff in achieving goals and remaining true to values. A leader must honor the behavior of adhering to values. However, in the long run, this commitment is likely to be beneficial in terms of earning the trust and support of stakeholders. Aligning should result in stakeholders' time and energy being used to

support the vision, values, and strategies. This would require:

• Ensuring consistency of values, vision, path/strategy, and daily actions.
• Unifying key stakeholders around an inspiring vision.
• Facilitating teamwork.
• Connecting goals with rewards and recognition.
• Enlisting stakeholders to provide resources.

To lead an organization through adaptive change, a leader would need the ability to inspire.

John Baldoni suggests that combining idealism with realistic approaches can be a source of inspiration for people. When individuals seek inspiration, they are often in search of hope. A leader who exudes confidence and effectively communicates a shared vision and chosen path through avenues like meetings, conversations, print, and video has the ability to inspire others. Conversely, it is widely believed that leaders are responsible for inspiring while directors primarily focus on motivating.

While inspiration and motive are often considered synonymous, some individuals use these terms interchangeably. However, in various scenarios, "motivation" is frequently employed to highlight both motive and inspiration. Regardless, there exist differences between these two concepts. Motivation originates from the Latin word "Motivere," which signifies "to move."

The text explores the idea of motivation, which is the psychological drive that pushes people towards a goal or reward. Motivated individuals demonstrate dedication, energy, and commitment to accomplishing tasks. This motivation can be affected by various factors, as listed in the following needs:

• Self Actualisation
• Self Esteem
• Social
• Safety
• Physiological

According to Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs theory, our motivation is influenced by

different levels of needs. Once a lower-level need is fulfilled, individuals no longer find it motivating and instead strive to satisfy higher-level needs. The first level includes physiological needs such as hunger and shelter.

Once these physiological demands have been met, the next level of needs is safety demands, which include security and protection from danger. The demand for job security falls into this category. Then there are societal demands such as belonging, acceptance, and social interaction.

Maslow's Theory of Hierarchy of Needs

Following societal needs are the self-esteem demands, which involve achievement, status, and recognition. Rewards and acknowledgment serve as motivators at this level. Finally, the highest level of demand is for self-actualization, which encompasses the realization of one's potential and personal development.

Continuing learning and challenges in occupations drive individuals at this level. According to Herzberg, motivation factors are divided into two parts:

1. Hygiene factors and
2. Incentives.

• The absence of hygiene factors, such as money, position, intervention, and security, leads to job dissatisfaction.

These factors need to be addressed first. Incentives include a sense of accomplishment, acknowledgment for achievements, challenging work, increased responsibility, personal growth, and development. Although extrinsic rewards like higher wages and fringe benefits may motivate employees temporarily, it is the intrinsic rewards of engaging in challenging work and having the opportunity to achieve and grow that will result in sustained motivation:

• These rewards can be obtained by
• Increasing accountability and responsibility
• Providing information to employees

Therefore, motivation is ensured through an external system of incentives and deterrents.

It appeals more to the mind than the heart. Therefore, motivating people requires:

• Showing respect to people
• Making work engaging
• Providing public recognition for good work
• Creating opportunities to develop skills
• Encouraging or facilitating involvement in decisions

The role of fear in motivation is often debated. Some emphasize the power of positivity, but fear, combined with a path forward and a goal to achieve, can motivate people to change. (Nohria et al.)

According to new cross-disciplinary research in fields like neuroscience, biological science, and evolutionary psychological science, there are four basic drivers of motive:

1. Acquire - obtaining scarce goods, including intangibles such as societal position.
2. Bond - forming connections with individuals and groups.
3. Comprehend - satisfying our curiosity and mastering the world around us.
4. Defend - protecting against external threats and promoting justice.

The researchers found that 'bond' has the greatest impact on employee commitment, while 'comprehend' has the greatest impact on employee engagement. However, they advise that an organization can best enhance motivation of its employees by fulfilling all four drivers in harmony.

Additionally, is inspiration different from motive?

The above description illustrates that there are differences between inspiration and motive, as shown in the table below:

• Inspiration
• Motivation
• Function
  

Beginning

• Siemens from within
• Externally influenced

Consequence of

• Service to a great cause higher than ego
• Incentives and deterrences

Entreaties to

• Heart
• Head

Concerned with

• To a value or aim that stand higher than the individual
• To self 's good being

Provides

• All in all, it is said that people do what they have to do when they are motivated by a director, but they give their best for an inspirational leader. However, it would be incorrect to conclude that inspiration is superior to motivation. Both are necessary for success, as demonstrated in the airy leading model where leadership and direction complement each other.

The recent tendency is to unite motivation and inspiration. In their book on 'Encouraging the Heart', Kouzes and Posner argue that individuals can execute even better with encouragement, even if they are already inspired and giving their best. They identify seven elements of encouragement, which include setting clear criterions, expecting the best, paying attention, personalizing acknowledgment, stating the narrative, celebrating together, and setting the illustration. Among these elements, 1, 3, and 6 lean towards motivational drivers, while the remaining elements focus on inspirational generators. Daniel Goleman [17], in his work on 'What makes a leader', explains that effective leaders possess emotional intelligence (EQ), which is an important quality they all share.According to him, it includes a set of five skills: self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy, and social skills. Self-awareness

is described as knowing oneself. Self-regulation refers to controlling or redirecting one's unwanted urges and emotions. Motivation is explained as having a passion for achievement. Empathy is the ability to understand the emotional makeup of others. Social skills involve building connection with others to lead them in desired directions. The term "motivation" in this context encompasses both external commitment to an organization and a passion for work driven by factors beyond money or status. Inspired individuals seek out challenges, enjoy learning, and take pride in their job. Even when faced with failures, they remain optimistic. According to John Kotter's description of what leaders truly do, good leaders motivate in various ways.

First, it is important for leaders to clearly communicate the organization's vision in a way that emphasizes the values of the audience they are addressing. This helps make the work meaningful to those individuals. Additionally, leaders should provide support to employees in their efforts to achieve the vision through coaching, feedback, and by setting a positive example. Lastly, leaders should acknowledge and reward successful accomplishments. According to Kotter, when these actions are taken, the work itself becomes inherently motivating.

Al argues that it is essential for leaders to identify their reliable leadership style as there is no singular way to be an effective leader. They differentiate between two types of motivations: extrinsic and intrinsic. Many leaders are driven to achieve by measuring their success against external benchmarks. They are motivated by the recognition and status that come with promotions and financial rewards. In contrast, intrinsic motivation stems from their personal sense of purpose in life.

Authentic leaders need to balance external and internal motives, or as explained

in this section, motivation and inspiration. In the world of business, the term 'inspiration' is often overlooked and the term 'motivation' is used to include both externally induced motivation and internally generated inspiration. However, in the healthcare industry, we distinguish between the two in a mutually reinforcing manner. Health service providers are motivated by receiving praise from their clients and witnessing improvement in their patients' conditions. On the other hand, they are inspired by a meaningful and human-centric vision and understanding their role in realizing that vision.

Authorization

A leader enables followers to create profound and significant change.

Empowering individuals involves giving them the responsibility and accountability that goes along with authority. Transformative leaders focus on the organization or group of people, using their own unique personal values to empower them and bring about organizational change. Inspiring others empowers them by tapping into their internal strengths and resources in pursuit of a vision. However, if these strengths and resources are not evenly distributed, it can lead to feelings of defeat and a weakening of inspiration.

How does the system cause people to lose power?

Leaders look for ways to empower others by believing in their abilities and giving them more decision-making power. At the same time, they also increase accountability.

Sharing power with others, unlike sharing money or knowledge, has different consequences. Giving away money reduces one's own store of money, while sharing knowledge increases the understanding of both the giver and the receiver. However, when power is shared to authorize others, the outcomes are more complex. Power is only multiplied when the supplier and receiver share a common vision and values. Otherwise, sharing power may divert from the

chosen path and compromise the ability to achieve the vision. Maxwell [20] includes 'empowerment' as one of the 21 unquestionable laws of leadership.

Many successful leaders fail to empower others within their organization or among their followers, consequently jeopardizing their organization or cause. Only secure leaders can truly empower others. There are various obstacles that prevent certain leaders from empowering others, including a desire for job security, resistance to change, and a lack of respect. Maxwell suggests that "the greatest things happen only when you give others the recognition."

That is the practice of authorization in action. ''

Empowering Communities for Behavior Change

The program in Kenya to address Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C) acknowledges the need for change to come from within communities themselves. This is achieved through a process of dialogue and discussion, where individuals are equipped with information and given the opportunity to challenge societal norms. The goal is to leverage the constantly changing social dynamics. Information about the physical and psychological harm caused by the practice can inform these dialogues, as well as discussions on human rights. These discussions often span over weeks or months and approach FGM/C not as a standalone issue, which can create suspicion and resistance, but within a broader context of health, human rights, and gender-based violence. In partnership with the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Development and other organizations, the Joint Program has trained over 400 community facilitators to conduct dialogues that ultimately lead communities to recognize that FGM/C violates a girl's rights.

According to leadership analysts Lynne J. McFarland, Larry Sen, and John Childress, the theoretical model of empowerment changes the way leadership is approached. Instead of relying on "position

power" where only certain individuals are given leadership roles, this model believes in giving everyone the opportunity to contribute to their fullest potential. Values play a crucial role in empowerment, much like vision is important for inspiration. The stronger the value system, the more empowered leaders become and the more they are able to empower their followers, even in times of competition and conflict.

The ability to effectively communicate with larger audiences and garner support for a wide range of values and belief systems is enhanced through the incorporation of values. Values serve as sources of power for leaders seeking to enact positive change within society or an organization, allowing for the realization of higher moral goals. While personal values are crucial for self-leadership, shared values have the power to empower others. Consequently, leaders must assess their own values. Covey asserts that 90% of leadership failures can be attributed to flaws in character.

The leader's empowering function relies on trust. Trust can come from three sources: personal trust, institutional trust, and one individual consciously choosing to give trust to another. Trust stems from both the potential trustworthiness of the person placing trust and the evident trustworthiness of the person being trusted. Trustworthiness is determined by character and competency. Personal character encompasses three aspects:

1. Integrity - consistently following rules that govern the outcomes of our actions. This is the most important quality people expect in their leader.
2. Maturity - willingly accepting the consequences of one's actions after they have been tested.
3. Abundance outlook - perceiving life as an

ever-expanding opportunity for growth, resources, and prosperity.

Competency includes technical proficiency, conceptual knowledge, and awareness of interdependence.

Consequences can only be achieved when all the main stakeholders are united. For example, maternal mortality can only be reduced by addressing the Three Delays:

1. families recognizing the need for emergency obstetric care during pregnancy complications,
2. communities organizing transportation, and
3. emergency obstetric care facilities being prepared to provide services promptly.

Therefore, information and skills are empowering at the family level. The visionary leaders must empower others by fostering collaboration and trust among all stakeholders. Ultimately, everyone involved must work together to achieve the desired vision.

In order for others to be empowered to follow this path, they must first develop a sense of personal power and ownership.

Therefore, leaders must possess capability and commitment from all stakeholders.

Uniting Inspiration, Motivation and Empowerment

Teamwork, trust, and authorization are essential for improving health in any chosen path. Leaders must learn to combine inspiration and motivation to gain buy-in and empower followers through shared values, recognition, and encouragement for superior results. To achieve this, leaders must be able to:

• Provide an inspiring vision and strategic alignment
• Help individuals connect personal goals with organizational goals
• Promote continuous innovation
• Encourage entrepreneurial creativity and experimentation
• Involve, empower, and trust employees
• Coach and develop people for greatness
• Build teams and promote teamwork, embracing diversity
• Motivate, inspire, and energize individuals, acknowledging achievements
• Encourage risk-taking
• Make business fun

By implementing these actions, leaders can expand their influence beyond their immediate control and bridge

the gap with wider concerns.

Figure 2. Control, influence and concern

• Circle of concern
• Sphere of influence
• Zone of control

Example. Three rock Masons in the in-between ages were difficult at work when a visitant came along and asked them what they were making.

1. The first rock Mason was difficult at work, perspiration beading his forehead. "I am cutting this rock", he grumbled.
2. The second rock Mason, though less overwrought, responded with a deep suspiration, "I'm constructing a parapet".
3. The third rock Mason replied with a beaming face, "I am constructing a beautiful cathedral that will laud God for centuries to come".

In the above narrative, who is inspired, who is managing and who is simply executing a task.