The inspiring leader, however, grows uncomfortable with the assertive leader’s desire to charge ahead with a new idea and immediately act. The inspiring leader often believes that assertive leaders act without considering the human cost and without ensuring that the action leads in the desired direction. The unilateral actions that are taken by assertive leaders may destroy relationships, shatter a sense of community and destroy commitment. The inspiring leader plays a critical role in an organization when she encourages the organization to build a strong base of trust and support before moving out into a stressful and turbulent world. In this regard, she is fully aligned with Best Practice 1.
Appropriate Use of Strengths
The inspiring leader provides an organization with direction and a sense of purpose. This is the Azure Blue sense of priorities and the Best Practice 1 way of operating. An inspiring leader wants to know what is missing in the organization. In this regard, the Azure Blue leader is acting a bit like a Verdant Green leader. Slow, thoughtful analyses are required. What is the tough question that this organization never asks about itself? What has this organization lost and must find again? What is needed to make this an excellent organization? The answers to these questions do not come from numerical analyses or policy manuals. Through these questions and through her own actions in the organization, the inspiring leader repeatedly draws the attention of members back to the central, convening vision, purpose and values of the organization.
The inspiring leader constantly pulls energy into an organization and focuses it on that which is truly important. In doing so, the inspiring leader helps to define the basic and recurring patterns of the organization. The inspiring leader can attract attention to the core vision, purposes and values of an organization primarily because she knows how to engage Best Practice 1 by relating the personal aspirations of members to the vision and purposes of the organization. She is also in a position to convince members that the vision can and should be attained.
Frequently, the inspiring leader formulates the vision herself and plays a central role in building community and commitment around this vision. The inspiring leader may also become the steward or servant of the vision that is established and enacted by other members of the community. The inspiring leader no longer holds the vision herself. The vision is built by and shared with the entire community. The inspiring leader works hard to make sure it is realized or at least that the organization consistently works toward the vision. In this monitoring of progress, the Azure Blue leader is following the lead of Royal Purple leaders—for vision without action is nothing but verbiage and PR from a Royal Purple perspective. Temporarily playing the role of Equitable Royal Purple leader, the Inspiring leader often assumes the painful but necessary role of referee or guardian—making sure that everyone is abiding by the rules and working toward the mission.
As Best Practice 1 teachers: the actions of all members of the organization should be aligned with its core values and directed toward the organization’s mission. Inspired by a compelling vision of the future, members of the organization (like Abraham’s flock) are journeying to the “Promised Land.” This alignment, in turn, requires that the Azure Blue leader move across the leadership spectrum to request the advice and talent of the Purposeful Tangy Orange leader—who can help set up a tactical (and longer-term strategic) process that provides guidance for this alignment of action and values. The successful journey across a desert like Sinai requires that a map be drawn!
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