Leaders 'Inspire' - How do YOU inspire your subordinates?

I am professional but approachable.   I will listen to those under me and try to lead by example.   First and foremost be consistent and respectful.  When I trained people under me they paid attention to detail and treated their superiors with respect.   Motivation comes as much from being sincere than being pushy or 'by the book'.

You can achieve both by putting respect for everyone as the first priority.

Lead from the front. Your people must know that you have done everything that you are asking them to do. If they recognize the common bond of sweat and sacrifice, they will move mountains for you. When I was assigned to an operational unit, I regularly got underway with my people for security missions, law enforcement boardings, harbor patrols, training sorties and maintenance shake downs. I rearranged watch schedules to accommodate special family events even it meant that I caught the watch for them. I PTed regularly with each duty section and team. I try to spend a few minutes a day as many people as I can to inquire about their worlds, professional and personal. If they know that you're interested in them as people, they won't let you down. I've written letters of recommendation for those headed to civilian jobs, and command endorsements for those seeking high speed military assignments. All of these things make you people know that you care about them; that you want them to do well; that you have their best interest at heart.

The most inspirational thing I have ever experienced was at one of the worst times in my career. I had crew that screwed pooch in the worst way! They had avoidable mishap with a civilian commercial water craft which resulted in personal injury while they were some place they shouldn't have been. The pursuant investigation uncovered a myriad of things that had been done either poorly, or just plain wrong. The recommendation from the internal investigators was that there had been a break down in leadership which they laid on the unit's department heads (me included) demanding our heads on a platter. My boss went to the O6, and explained that if anybody's head was collected, his was first. He pointed out that the team leader on station was directly responsible for the situation. The team leader had specific instructions; there were standing orders in place along with established protocols for doing what we did all of which he ignored. There was no way to provide any more direct supervision than had been given short of me serving as the team leader which made somebody (the team leader or me) redundant. My boss put his career on the line for the other department heads and me. The result was that the O6 reconsidered the recommendation of the investigators, and ultimately the team leader responsible was removed from his position for failing to follow instructions. I would shovel manure in Hades for him today because my boss saw a knee jerk reaction lead to a bad decision and instead of stepping out of the way, he went toe to toe with the old man to ensure justice was served instead allowing what was politically expedient. When I grow up, I want to be just like this guy!