Andy Bird - The Inspired Leader: How leaders can discover, experience and maintain their inspiration

THE INSPIRED LEADER

THE INSPIRED LEADER: REVIEWS

An excellent and uplifting book that provides genuine insight into how leaders of all types can understand what truly motivates them and how they can use this to inspire others. Given the intense personal pressures facing so many people in business today, I recommend it as a highly relevant and compelling read whatever your level of experience.

CAROLYN FAIRBAIRN, Director-General,
Confederation of British Industry

This is a wonderful book I am falling in love with it. I read it and I feel better about humanity, about being a member of this funny old thing called the human race. Why race? The people Andy Bird writes about become more human by stopping still, by getting to know themselves better. They give up on racing and become who they are. It is a celebration of humanity, and if that isnt inspirational I dont know what is.

ALISON HARDINGHAM, Professor, Henley Business School

Andy Birds uncommon combination of intellect, experience and values has created a powerful, timely and unique work. Insightful and actionable frameworks, illuminated by inspiring leadership stories, invite us to reflect deeply on how we can inspire ourselves to become more effective leaders not just of our own organizations, but in the world at large.

MATT SHATTOCK, CEO & Chairman, Beam Suntory Inc.

Unlike other books Ive read in the genre, this one offers a realistic and relatable way to improving leadership qualities. The ideas and evidence provided show how, by being proactive in seeking the right sources of motivation, it is possible to become inspired to realise your potential. As a young professional, this book has also made me question my own perception of success something invaluable when setting my long-term personal and career-related goals at this stage in my life.

YIANNIS GEORGIOU, Associate, PwC

Inspiration is at the heart of strong leadership, but where does it come from? This book unlocks our thinking about how we can find the drive in ourselves consistently to inspire others. I wish I had read it 40 years ago.

GENERAL SIR PETER WALL, former Chief of the
General Staff, British Army

Inspiring and bold. Andy Bird demonstrates how we can be at our best more of the time and motivate others to do the same. Leadership at its best.

GEMMA GREAVES, Chief Executive, The Marketing Society

When leaders know their purpose, when they are inspired, the human spark in them is ignited. This leads to a greater sense of wellbeing for them and their teams, better business performance and ultimately a better world. I am happy to see that this book focuses on helping leaders do just that. I highly recommend this essential, purposeful work.

LEENA NAIR, Chief HR Officer, Unilever

Combining the ancient art of story-telling with cutting edge insights from behavioural science, this book provides a powerful roadmap for connecting more with what inspires you. The practical reflective exercises at the end of each chapter give the book a real feel that you are sitting in on a masterclass. Inspirational reading.

PAUL HEARDMAN, Leadership Coach &
Coaching Supervisor, UK Civil Service

To inspire others you first need to BE inspired and this book does exactly that. Packed with inspiration, wisdom, tools and insight, its like having your own personal leadership guru on hand at all times. Read from cover to cover, digest it all and then become the leader you want to be. At last, a leadership handbook for everyone.

SHERILYN SHACKELL, Founder & CEO,
The Marketing Academy

THE INSPIRED LEADER

How leaders can discover, experience and maintain their inspiration

ANDY BIRD

Bloomsbury Academic

An imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

CONTENTS

Can you remember a time when you felt inspired? Perhaps you were influenced by a person you met, admiring them for their courage, compassion or integrity. For some of us it may have been some form of religious experience or a magnificent encounter with the natural world. Or was it a time when you felt a sense of pride in having achieved something particularly challenging or meaningful?

The feelings that come with these moments can be wonderfully invigorating. A lifting of the spirit and a surge in our energy and vitality. An exciting sense of possibility and a renewed belief in ourselves and everything that life has to offer.

In fact, given how much we value and enjoy inspiration, it is surprising how little we actually know about it. Are all forms of inspiration the same? Is it something we have to wait for in the hope it might arrive now and again? How can we each take steps to experience inspiration more intensely and frequently in our lives?

These are some of the important questions this book will address. And there is no one for whom they are more significant than people who take on the responsibility of being a leader.

We are living in a tumultuous world economic volatility, digital disruption, terrorism, climate change, Trump, Brexit. The extraordinary pace and scale of change we are experiencing is creating a host of thrilling opportunities, but also some unnerving threats for people and organizations everywhere. These conditions are creating an urgent need for talented individuals to step up and influence what is going on around them in beneficial ways. Driving change that makes a positive difference in the world is what being a leader is all about.

Doing so in reality, though, is far from easy. The same turbulent conditions also make the personal challenges facing people in leadership roles greater than ever before. Many recent studies and examples point to the high levels of stress and burnout being experienced by people in senior positions. The unrelenting demand for outstanding results, combined with excessive workloads and emotional pressures, is clearly taking its toll.

These personal trials are heightened by the fact that, in todays complex organizations, the command-and-control approach many leaders have traditionally used to make things happen is breaking down. The social media-fuelled desire among both customers and employees for greater transparency and involvement in corporate affairs also means that it has become increasingly necessary to lead without relying on hierarchical authority. Leaders must now focus more on building influence with others by inspiring and engaging them, rather than by simply telling them what to do.

But it would be a mistake to start by going down the well-trodden route of exploring how leaders can get better at inspiring others . I believe the time has come to pay greater attention to helping leaders discover first the inspiration and energy they need for themselves .

If individuals are to take on all the responsibility and pressure that leadership can entail, they need to be fuelled upfront by a deep passion to drive change in the world around them. If they are to inspire belief and commitment in the hearts and minds of others, they must first find these qualities in their own hearts and minds.

Being an inspired leader

The purpose of this book is to help you explore what inspires you as a leader. How can you enjoy the uplifting sensation of inspiration more regularly in your life? How can you sustain your energy in the face of the inevitable adversity that arises? And how can you be moved to make a bigger difference through the leadership role you play?