Stop Cheering Start Leading

Have you ever left a meeting excited about where your team was going, but over time, you became increasingly confused about how to get there? Endless motivation without clarity causes frustration and disengagement. Leaders must balance inspiration with clear direction. Today on The Champion Forum Podcast, we discuss why you may need to stop cheering and start leading!

The mistake leaders make:

Many leaders, especially those who rely on visionary and inspirational techniques, believe that if they can keep their team excited about their work, the company, and the future, they will stay motivated and achieve results.

Here's what happens when leaders rely only on inspiration:

• Team members get hyped up but become frustrated when there's no clear next step.

• They start to doubt the leader's competence, even if they still like the leader personally.

• It creates a cycle of "hype fatigue" where big speeches and rally cries eventually fall on deaf ears.

People want to believe in the vision, but they also want to know how to WIN. Motivation only helps move the needle when combined with clear direction.

Inspiration without instruction leads to exhaustion.

Motivation without a map eventually turns into frustration. And that frustration costs you your best people. Over time, they will quit not because the vision was unexciting, but because the path is unclear.

How to know if you are guilty of relying on motivation over strategy:

• People leave team meetings with good feelings, but no clear next steps.

• You focus more on creating energy than creating alignment.

• You celebrate potential more than progress.

How Great Leaders Give Clarity

1. Set Clear Expectations.

People are motivated by knowing precisely what success looks like. Don't just say, "Let's crush this quarter!" Give them a clear goal so they understand what to work toward. Greater clarity will create greater confidence.

2. Break It Down into Steps.

Motivation can make people feel excited about the vision, but overwhelmed by how to accomplish it. Breaking down big goals into weekly milestones can help people feel more capable of achieving them.

3. Assign Ownership.

Never forget to clarify who owns what, not just to each individual, but to the entire team. Accountability will bring clarity.

4. Provide Regular Checkpoints.

Don't hype people up at the starting line and leave them to figure out the rest. Schedule regular touchpoints to review progress, remove obstacles, and recalibrate the plan if needed.

5. Save the Pep Talks for the Right Moments.

Inspiration is powerful when it's used after people are already moving. Use motivation as fuel, not as a substitute for strategy.

Application Activities

1. As you plan your next team meeting, ensure that approximately 70% of your agenda is focused on clarifying actions and only about 30% is dedicated to inspiration. Ask lots of questions and get input from your team to ensure you leave time to hear objections, concerns, and alternative ideas as you formulate the plan. Follow up with a clear strategy via email and follow-up meetings with everyone involved to ensure everyone is on the same page.

1. Identify a few points where a pep talk would be valuable and what kind of support would be motivating.

Example 1: A tenured, high-performing employee experiences a series of setbacks. Sending a note or having a conversation where you explain why you are confident they will turn things around could help inspire confidence and allow them to ask for support if needed.

Example 2: A new leader has to give feedback for the first time. Share a story about how feedback has positively influenced your life. Remind them that feedback is a gift and that they were promoted because you know they can handle the conversation well and improve over time.