Give your people a cause and inspiration will follow

Purpose – This paper seeks to describe how to lead an effective team and inspire, rather than simply motivate, its members.Design/methodology/approach – The paper explores what makes people act selflessly in a tragedy. It reveals that this kind of behavior results from people feeling that they have a cause. It also describes how having a cause at work, and being led by an inspirational leader, can lead to a truly inspired workforce.Findings – The paper details the effects that devotion to a cause has, not only on individuals, but also on a team. It explains how team members come closer to each other, act regardless of rank, and find that adversity strengthens rather than weakens their bonds.Practical implications – The paper reveals that once this kind of spirit is established in a team, team members will be less likely to defect to other employers.Social implications – The paper highlights the importance of making a business into a cause. The people the business serves must be a cause. Most important of ...