Inspiring leaders communicate a bold, specific, and consistent vision. Most employees—especially the Millennial generation—want more than a paycheck. They want to feel as though their work has meaning. They need to see how their jobs or projects connect to the big picture. In this Forbes.com column, I talked about my dinner with Neil Armstrong and what he taught me about the power of vision to move a brand (and society) forward.

Inspiring leaders sell the benefit behind their ideas. Few people care about the “how” until they know “why” they are doing what they are being asked to do. The lobbies of venture capital firms are littered with the dashed dreams of would-be entrepreneurs who had good ideas but failed to inspire investors because they could not clearly communicate the benefit behind their product or idea. Employees, too, want to understand the benefit. People are inspired when they know exactly how your initiative, product, or idea will improve their lives. Remember, effective communication is not about you. It’s about them.

Inspiring leaders tell powerful, memorable, and actionable stories. Inspiring communicators are storytellers. Incorporate stories in your conversations, emails, and presentations. I recently met with a top executive at one of the largest companies in the world. He was preparing for a major speech he delivered this week to an audience of world leaders. His speechwriter was in the room as well as his assistants and presentation design experts. After I listened to his first run-through, I said, “Where’s your voice?” He had a great message, compelling facts and figures, but no personal stories. Once he added his own stories the presentation came alive.

Inspiring leaders invite feedback. One of the astonishing success stories I’ve ever come across is Griffin Hospital in Derby, Connecticut. Griffin transformed itself from a troubled organization in the 1980s to one of the best places to work in the country and a role model for hundreds of hospitals across America. Griffin CEO Patrick Charmel told me that he began to ask for honest feedback from employees, doctors, nurses, patients, and former patients. He listened and gave people what they asked for. Today Griffin is committed to transparency and open, honest communication between leadership and staff. Everything is shared—the good and bad news. Employees are involved in every major decision. Most important, senior leaders make it a point to solicit feedback regularly.

Inspiring leaders act as beacons of hope. Successful leaders are more optimistic than average. They act bravely and speak with courage and confidence about the future. They see the world differently. Where many see gloom, despair, tumult and turbulence, inspiring leaders see a bright, positive world full of hope and joy. They echo the sentiment in Matt Ridley’s book, The Rational Optimist, where Ridley argues that life on earth is getting better and doing so at an accelerating rate. In an earlier column, I detailed the five reasons why optimists make better leaders. In the article I tell the story of Intel INTC +0.14% co-founder Robert Noyce who started the company in one of the worst recessions since the Great Depression. According to Noyce, “optimism is an essential ingredient of innovation. How else can the individual welcome change over security, adventure over staying in safe places?”

Inspiring leaders praise people and encourage them to be their best selves. Richard Branson once said, “When you lavish praise on people, they flourish; criticize and they shrivel up.” When I spent a day with Branson I noticed that he gave compliments constantly—to his staff, crew, and airport personnel. He walks the talk.
Carmine Gallo