Episode 53 - Inspiring the Uninspired

A whole year of Maximize Your Influence Podcasts are now behind us!  And listenrship in the Islamic Republic of Iran is still strong (that has to be a fluke, right)! After two podcasts delving into the female brain, Kurt and Steve discuss a recent article that reveals that women get cheated at the negotiation table more than men.  Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania and UC Berkely found that women were "warmer and more kind" in negotiations, and thus were more taken advantage of. Getting into the remainder of the podcast, Kurt and Steve discuss what it takes to inspire others in the work place.  But how can you do this when/if the person you are inspiring has a horrible job or a position that is just without inspiration?  There are a few ways to do this and you don't necessarily have to have an exciting job to do it.  Boosting the self esteem of those that work for you or who you work with goes a long way.  When people feel appreciated and liked, even menial tasks can beomce fulfilling to them.  Second, unite your team to a common goal.  If they feel like they are always in the trenches and don't see the big picture of what they are apart of they will never be inspired.  Third, find a common enemy.  Sure, this sounds a little dark but business leaders, religous leaders, and politicians have used it through all time to achieve their goals (both good and bad). Finally, create an atmosphere where people can offer input.  If they feel iike they don't have any say then they quckly just won't care...about anything.  You'll be stuck in a situation where your employees or partners "work just hard enough to not get fired, and where you pay them just enough so they don't quit."