The Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte was born into a relatively modest family, on a provincial island, far from the centres of power. Yet despite these humble beginnings, in a time of great upheaval and change, he somehow managed to become one of the greatest political and military leaders the world has ever seen.
You might not agree with what he chose to do with his life. But something about Napoleon was able to inspire himself and other people to achieve incredible feats.
What was the philosophy of leadership that enabled him do this?
Napoleon put it simply:
“A leader is a dealer in hope.”
No matter what situation you face, your first task in a time of change is to inspire hope and inspiration, first in yourself and then in other people. To create a vision that brings hope that something better is possible. And then to inspire yourself and other the people to long to make that vision happen.
With this attitude and skill, you can begin to use change to become stronger and more valuable.
What steps do you take each day to create hope and inspiration — for yourself and for other people? Would it be useful to learn the seven steps to achieving this?
Adapted from Inner Leadership: a framework and tools for building inspiration in times of change.
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