Inspiration – Going Beyond Influence
The Leadership Series
NOTE: This article is part 15 of a series on Leadership here at The Wealthy Ironworker
- Foundational Leadership Truths
- Leadership and The Three Areas of Your Life
- Personal & Professional Development in a Leadership Context
- Leadership, Management, and The Skilled Trades
- The 4 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader
- Leadership and The Task-Oriented Trades
- Situational Leadership and the Skilled Trades
- Leadership and The Art of Intentionality
- Leadership and Emotional Intelligence
- Skills Developed From Emotional Intelligence
- Leadership and Humility
- Skills Developed From Humility
- Leadership and Listening to Understand and Not to Respond
- Skills Developed From Listening to Understand and Not to Respond
- Skills Developed Overall in the Leadership Process
- Mentored & Mentoring in Leadership
- Influence Vs. Inspiration
- Inspiration – Going Beyond Influence
***The above is subject to change as this series expands***
Introduction
If you’ve read this far, I want to congratulate you. Congratulations on your intentionality. Congratulate you on your progress. Congratulate you for reaching what I call the pinnacle.
In the previous article, “Influence vs. Inspiration,” we examined why influence is indeed powerful, but inspiration is ultimately more valuable. I can influence people through their job (i.e., you must do this and that to get paid or to keep your job), but inspiration is ultimately driven not by you, the leader. Instead, it is voluntary on the part of those you lead.
Once you understand that, we can then build on that foundation by exploring how we can go beyond influence to reach inspiration.
Influence is a Stepping Stone in the Leadership Process – Inspiration is the Pinnacle
Some call it motivation, while others refer to it as ambition. I have chosen to use the term inspiration. I have specific reasons for doing this as well. First, motivation, like ambition, can be internally brought about – meaning people can have different reasons to be motivated about something. Inspiration is also generated from within – but it starts from the external – from a leader. That’s a noteworthy distinction. Let me explain this in greater detail.
A person who is motivated can have numerous reasons why: they want more for their life, they want to be successful, they are egotistical, they seek comfort, wealth, prestige, etc. There are numerous reasons why someone may be working from a motivation framework.
Likewise, someone who is ambitious will have their reasons for being that way, many of which align with those who are motivated. Indeed, the two are synonyms, after all.
Do you know someone who is determined, enthusiastic, and driven? These are all synonyms, so the underlying factors are essentially the same.
Inspiration, however, is different. It’s different because, in the leadership context, a person and/or people are inspired by you, the leader, and, coupled with your actions, they embark on their own leadership journey.
Of course, they may become highly motivated/driven/ambitious in their pursuit, but this leads me to the second reason why inspiration is selected: Inspiration leads to those – not the other way around.
I may be motivated to be a better leader, but that does not necessarily mean I will be inspired. There are numerous examples of people starting something fueled by motivation, but it often diminishes over time. However, if I am inspired by a great leader, I can then add to that with motivation/ambition/drive.
Inspiration – The definition
By way of review, let’s reinforce our understanding of what inspiration actually is, using the definition from the last article for continuity purposes. The Britannica Dictionary defines it like this: “Something that makes someone want to do something or that gives someone an idea about what to do or create: a force or influence that inspires someone” (Emphasis mine).
This serves as a suitable working definition as we proceed through the remainder of this article.
From Influence to Inspiration
The question remains: How do we actually take our leadership beyond influence to inspiration? How do we reach the pinnacle?
This is THE question we should be asking.
For starters, we must acknowledge the difference between influence and inspiration. This seems redundant, especially since we looked at it. However, it’s that important and worth repeating, if for no other reason than it’s often confused for something else, dismissed, or not even considered in the first place.
Second, we should understand that inspiration begins by being external to the future and prospective leader. Again, we explored this already.
Third, the distinction between positional influence and inspirational influence is ENORMOUS. While it seems as though we are looking in the mirror (dealing with influence and not inspiration), it’s worth exploring for this reason: The level of influence you have (and the type) is directly tied to the inspiration you’ll drive in future leaders. We’ll explore this in further detail later.
Fourth – and building off of point number three – you, the inspirational leader, turn inspirational influence into pure inspiration. Yes, you still hold a position of influence at work. Yes, you will still be influential outside of the position because you’ve been intentional about it. And yes, you’ll still exercise that influence along the way.
But pure inspiration is different – and superior – than inspirational influence for a number of reasons. Inspirational influence is better than mere influence, but it’s transitional. The intention is to get the aspiring leader to pure influence.
Pure inspiration – which is the goal – permeates the future leader. It doesn’t depend on the influence a mentor has – they are already past that. Instead, they are now operating on inspiration to be a better leader. In other words, now inspiration is internal.
Having identified these steps in the process, the question remains: How do we actually achieve this?
Achieving inspiration internally
Achieving inspiration internally looks different for EACH AND EVERY PERSON. There is no one-size-fits-all for you to plug in and use. What’s more, this shouldn’t come as a surprise, either. Consider how independent and unique you are. Are you like anyone else – completely alike in every aspect and detail? Agreeing with someone – anyone, really – with every single decision they make?
That question is rhetorical: Of course, you are not like anyone else. You are unique.
There are numerous variables to consider when you think about it: The environment, time in the trade, work experience, life experience, intentionality, personal drive, etc. Put another way, it ALL depends on the individual.
The people – both the one who is mentoring and the one to whom we seek to impart the inspiration.
And while everything depends on the people involved, they are also the most volatile. The most problematic. The most likely to falter. The most difficult to impart perspective.
HOWEVER, when you take the time to be intentional and develop that future leader, it makes it all worth it, despite the variables that people bring to the table.
What Does This Mean?
This ultimately means you have some work ahead of you if seeking to become an inspirational leader. And since I haven’t given you a checklist (which, of course, makes things far simpler), I’ll instead detail some personal examples of moving beyond influence to inspiration. For each example, I’ll detail some of the factors I believe were instrumental in elevating the inspiration. Hopefully, as you read, you’ll gain perspective.
Example 1: Safety Personal Protective Equipment
I wear many hats and perform a few different roles within my company – one of them being Safety Manager. But you don’t have to be an official safety manager to know how important Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is, and how difficult it can be to get guys in the field to wear/use it. Typically, I’ve found that about 10% of the people are 90% of the problems when it comes to this.
What’s more, you’ve likely heard – or maybe even said – the same reasons why they justify not wearing it:
“It’s too hot.”
“It’s uncomfortable.”
“It doesn’t fit.”
“It doesn’t stay on.”
“I don’t like it.”
“I forgot.”
“Why does it matter?”
These and many others I’ve heard over the years. And yes, there is the compliance nature of things; i.e., the customer and/or OSHA have policies in place requiring PPE to be worn. If it were merely a matter of compliance (which is often accomplished through sheer positional influence), it wouldn’t be included here.
What I’ve always done is try to lead by example, with different scenarios bringing about different approaches. For example, I try not to ask people to do tasks I either haven’t done or wouldn’t do myself. I also wear a safety vest instead of a “high vis shirt” (which, for the most part, isn’t really high-vis; it’s just a colored shirt). They may be an additional layer, making it hotter, but guess what? I’m suffering right along with everyone else. I’m in the field just like them, setting the tone. AND NO ONE HATES SUMMER MORE THAN I DO.
Safety glasses are another tough area sometimes. On a whim, I started purchasing some of the most obnoxious pairs I could find and wearing them on the job. Colors like apple green, fire orange, and even hot pink.
Especially hot pink.
Yes, I wore this exact pair – complete with gems
The responses I got from this were pretty hilarious. Most people got a real good laugh from them, and that’s precisely the point. They were thinking and focusing on – you guessed it – safety glasses. What I found even more interesting was that after several months had passed (Initially wore them during a shutdown), I was asked by several people when the pink glasses would be back.
And one particular employee – who often places his safety glasses on his hard hat instead of wearing them, which gets him in trouble – told me directly he wanted to get better at wearing his safety glasses.
And just like that, we’ve moved from positional influence (I could send him home or give him some time off for not wearing his PPE correctly) to inspiration (He WANTS to get better). It’s a small win, but that’s how progress often is – and I’ll take it.
I should also mention that being intentional about wearing PPE isn’t the only factor at play in this example. I’ve tried to cultivate a leadership style that is kind and intentionally mentoring, and I’m always thinking of ways to expose them to additional experiences. Still, going from positional influence to inspiration is a process, and it takes a lot to get results – so when you get them, you celebrate.
Example 2: Working With Someone for the First Time
I’ve had the pleasure of working around some really good journeymen, gleaning what I could when I could. But after all these years, circumstances have kept me from working with some people. Different jobs, companies, etc.
Recently, I was able to work with two people for the first time, whom I’ve known my entire career. And one in particular came out of retirement to help us for a few weeks. I’d been around him, talked with him, known him off the job, but never on the same job together. And on this job, I served as superintendent.
While we were talking one day, he let me know how much he appreciated my leadership approach and the way I handle things, and he was inspired to finish what he’d told the Managing Director he’d do for us, even when he was tired and sore from returning to the field.
And on his last day, he came up to me, shook my hand, thanked me, and told me it was a pleasure, getting emotional as he did so.
He didn’t have to do that. He could have simply ridden off into the sunset, heading back into retirement and much-deserved rest. Yet he took the time to thank me for something that comes naturally to me at this point. Why?
I’ll argue it’s because he was inspired to do so. Once again, it’s small, but I’ll take little wins every day. They add up.
Example 3: From Journeyman to Superintendent
In the fall of 2024, I took a job with a company that was in serious trouble with a customer (I didn’t know it at the time). They were less than two weeks away from being kicked off a site – that’s how bad things were. Employees dwindled, morale tanked, and they were divided.
Six Months later, most of the employees had been replaced, with one notable exception: an experienced journeyman who, from my estimation, had been running work from the field. Put simply, he was running the job and doing the work while the foreman he worked for was essentially riding on his efforts. Now, while I recognized this early on, there is one catch in all this…
The employee in question did NOT like me. More specifically, he didn’t like the changes I was making. The company was struggling. The customer demanded (and indeed mandated) changes. The reputation was being restored, but at a cost. Most believe people don’t like change, and that’s true. But what people REALLY don’t like is being uncomfortable. People will actively seek change if they are. And the changes being made were uncomfortable.
Not only did this employee not like me, but he would also go out of his way not to talk to me. There were plenty of petty things done during that time, too. Complicating things further, the customer really liked having him on-site, and I knew he was a good journeyman. Most people probably would have considered him a lost cause. Most people in my shoes would have fired him. Especially since this went on for several months.
Being the intentional leader, however – seeking to move beyond influence to inspiration – I didn’t. And if you are to become an intentional leader, you shouldn’t either.
I saw capability and potential, and went a different route.
I promoted him.
I made him a foreman.
Wait, what?
That’s right: you read that correctly. I told the owner (who knew the situation AND knew the employee well) that I was going to make him a foreman, that I was out there, and that if things didn’t go well, I was responsible for the outcome. It would fall to me. I said he will either take the role and move up or ultimately leave – things couldn’t remain the way they were.
And he reluctantly agreed. Here is what he told him:
“This goes against almost 50 years of being on this earth to make you a foreman, but (my name) sees something in you, and wants to make you a foreman.”
The change wasn’t instantaneous, nor was it without setbacks, which was to be expected. Slowly but surely, however, he was changing. He was asking questions. He was curious. He was stepping up. He wanted to do the job to the best of his ability.
In other words, when I first started, the only influence I had was to be able to fire him. That’s it. What’s more, that isn’t good influence, either. It’s positional influence (meaning I’m in charge), and many people end up staying here.
The intentional leader, however, presses on.
After making him a foreman, he began shifting from influence to inspiration to be better. He asked questions, sought advice, and the change was noticeable to everyone. The men in the field saw it. The customer appreciated it, and several employees told him they were proud to witness it. And the owner definitely took notice. I had stabilized this situation, and he wanted my help in growing the company, which meant he needed me elsewhere; I needed to be replaced.
That same troubled journeyman whom I made a foreman was inspired enough to take on the position of superintendent. Which is precisely what happened. It wasn’t a flawless transition; some employees didn’t listen to him in his new role; the new superintendent had lessons to learn himself; and the customer – at least initially – was not happy with the change. They were used to dealing with me, and if they could have waved a magic wand, the change wouldn’t have happened. (People don’t like change, and they really don’t like being uncomfortable).
But that would not have been fair to the new superintendent. It would not have been fair to the other employees. It would not have been fair to our company. It would not have been fair to the industry. And ultimately, it would not have been fair to the customer, either. Staring at the experience/age/skills gap in front of us, we MUST be intentional about what we do – and that definitely includes mentoring and developing the next generation. Everyone wants someone with 20 years of experience; the few of us who fit that description are already working and will continue to be a valuable resource. The long-term solution – the long game, as it were – is for us to be intentional about developing the next generation, and that includes some decisions (like promoting a new superintendent you aren’t used to) that need to be made despite their initial reception.
Fast forward to today. As of this writing (summer 2026), the customer is very pleased with the service we are providing them. The new superintendent has exceeded the customer’s expectations. What hesitation and resistance they had are no more. The men listen to him. And the company I work for can place me where they need me, helping grow (including the next journeymen, foremen, and superintendents 😏).
Occasionally, he will call me about a situation, problem, or even a little victory. And I’m here for all of it. Just because we promote someone doesn’t mean we should expect them to have all the answers. I’m 24 years in, and I definitely don’t have them. I shouldn’t expect people with even less experience than me to have them, either.
Perhaps the most satisfying thing is seeing this leadership model work. Effectively, all I did was take the way I think about things and lead, create an outline, and be intentional about getting to inspiration. This example is THE outcome that any company, leader, customer, or industry professional could hope for. It starts with The Art of Intentionality and ends with Inspiration.
What’s Next?
With the above in mind, the obvious question is what’s next. I get that, and in the interest of expanding this leadership model, here’s what I tell people:
Turn apprentices into journeymen, journeymen into foremen, and foremen into superintendents.
If you are in the construction industry – from contractor to customer, apprentice to business owner, and industry professionals all throughout – your goal should be the same. They should be your next and continual steps.
In other words, achieve, rinse, and repeat.
You may run multi-million-dollar projects, juggle schedule conflicts, deal with other subcontractors, material delays, safety concerns, estimating, and securing work, and do all of this and more on several job sites. But none of this is the most important thing you’ll do. You think it is because it’s been the industry’s focus for the past few decades. And that focus has led the industry where, exactly?
To the edge of a massive gulf in skills, experience, and age/generations. To a place where those who have the desired qualifications EVERYONE wants – 20 years of experience with 20+ years to still work – will face a MASSIVE amount of work bridging the gap between those who are retiring and those just coming in, all while needing to get the work done. To a place where burnout isn’t just possible – it’s very probable. They will be asked to do more than their predecessors with less to work with. The industry desperately needs to recognize this, be intentional about the leadership models it embraces, and reflect on it.
Investing in people is the most labor-intensive work you’ll ever do, and it’s also the most necessary. But it’s also the most rewarding, too. Strive to be a leader whom people want to work for, follow, and ultimately replace. Lead with intentionality, striving for inspiration, and do it again, and again, and again.
Strive to move beyond influence to the pinnacle that is Inspiration. That is the way to lead.
NOTE: This article is part 15 of a series on Leadership here at The Wealthy Ironworker
- Foundational Leadership Truths
- Leadership and The Three Areas of Your Life
- Personal & Professional Development in a Leadership Context
- Leadership, Management, and The Skilled Trades
- The 4 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader
- Leadership and The Task-Oriented Trades
- Situational Leadership and the Skilled Trades
- Leadership and The Art of Intentionality
- Leadership and Emotional Intelligence
- Leadership and Humility
- Leadership and Listening to Understand and Not to Respond
- Skills Developed Overall in the Leadership Process
- Mentored & Mentoring in Leadership
- Influence Vs. Inspiration
- Inspiration – Going Beyond Influence
***The above is subject to change as this series expands***
The Wealthy Ironworker
The Wealthy Ironworker is a brand committed to excellence - through the articles on this website, associated podcast, and various consulting events.
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