When You Thrive, Your Team Does Too
We talk a lot about inspiring leadership — but what does that really mean?
It’s not just delivering the perfect pep talk. It’s not charisma or charm. And it’s definitely not about having all the answers.
Inspiration happens when people see you doing meaningful work that’s aligned with your strengths — and when you see and activate the strengths in them.
That’s the kind of leadership that sticks. That moves people. That builds loyalty, energy, and real momentum.
And that’s what Megan came to coaching to figure out.
Megan is the founder and CEO of a small but growing production company startup. She’s smart, visionary, and all-in. But with her expanding team, she noticed something was off. Projects were getting done — but there was no spark. Her team was performing, but not thriving. And Megan? She was getting burned out from trying to motivate everyone on her own.
During coaching, we discovered what was missing: Megan wasn’t leading from her strengths — or seeing her team through the lens of theirs.
Once she made that shift, everything changed.
1. Lead From What Energizes You — Not What Exhausts You
Megan’s Challenge: As the founder, Megan felt like she had to be involved in everything. The operations. The pitching. The day-to-day management. But most of those things pulled her away from her inner genius: creative development and people-building.
Why This Strategy Works: When you lead from your strengths, your brain gets a dopamine boost — your focus sharpens, your energy rises, and you naturally bring more clarity and conviction into your leadership. That’s what people respond to. That’s what inspires.
How You Can Apply It:
- Name your top 2–3 core strengths. Ask yourself: Am I actually using these every day?
- Audit your calendar: What can be delegated so you have more time for what lights you up?
- Show your team what it looks like to work in alignment. That energy is contagious.
Example: Megan stopped sitting in on every logistics meeting and started carving time for creative development again. Her team noticed a difference almost immediately: her energy, her ideas, her clarity. It gave them permission to step into what they do best, too.
2. See Your Team for Their Strengths — Not Just Their Tasks
Megan’s Challenge: She was assigning work based on roles, not strengths. That left some team members underused and others overwhelmed.
Why This Strategy Works: People light up when they feel seen for what makes them exceptional. When you recognize someone’s core strengths and create space for them to use them, their motivation, confidence, and contribution expands.
How You Can Apply It:
- Take a pause: What are your direct reports really good at? What energizes them.
- Start asking in 1:1s: What part of your work feels most natural? What drains you?
- Adjust responsibilities where you can. Even a 10% shift toward someone’s strengths has impact.
Example: One of Megan’s team members was quietly brilliant at shaping brand tone — but had been buried in logistics. Megan reassigned responsibilities and gave her space to lead creative messaging. The result? More joy for the employee, and better output for the company.
3. Speak Strengths Out Loud — Often
Megan’s Challenge: She was so focused on fixing what wasn’t working that she forgot to name what was. Her team was doing great things — but they weren’t hearing it.
Why This Strategy Works: Your brain craves reinforcement. When you call out someone’s strength in real time — “I noticed how your strategic thinking helped us find that solution” — it not only builds confidence, it encourages repeat performance.
How You Can Apply It:
- In meetings or Slack, don’t just say “Great job.” Say: “Your creative thinking was key here.”
- Start each 1:1 by highlighting something the person did that reflects their strength.
- Encourage peer recognition, too. Strengths awareness becomes culture when it’s shared.
Example: Megan began ending each team meeting by highlighting one person’s contribution and naming the strength she saw in it. It shifted the tone of the entire team — people felt seen, valued, and more willing to show up fully.
Your Next Move: Inspire by Leading from Strength
You don’t have to carry the weight of motivation on your own. You just have to create a space where strengths are visible, celebrated, and activated.
✓ Step back into your own inner genius
✓ Notice and align your team with what makes them great
✓ Speak strengths out loud — because what’s named, grows
Megan didn’t need a new team. She needed a new lens. And once she had it? Her leadership became electric.
Yours can, too.
If you want to inspire more naturally, authentically, and powerfully, it starts by discovering your leadership strengths.
💡 The Hello Inner Genius Strengths Assessment is designed to help you do exactly that.
👉 Discover Your Inner Genius Strengths here.
Your leadership doesn’t have to feel heavy. It can feel like coming home to your best self.
About Phyllis Reagin
Phyllis Reagin, is a doctoral-trained behaviorist with specialized training in Neuropsychology. She is also a certified Executive & Leadership Coach and leading expert in Imposter Syndrome and Confidence-Building. Phyllis has coached thousands of leaders and teams (from Netflix, Warner Bros. Discovery, Amazon MGM Studios, Google, Meta, Spotify, Atlantic Records, Paramount Global, and more) to lead with greater confidence, influence, and impact. Find out more about Phyllis here.
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