Free Leadership Wallpapers
Leadership Now’s Leading Blog is one of my favorite sources of leadership inspiration. Recently, they created some free leadership wallpapers with pictures and quotes from great leaders like:
- Winston Churchill
- Thomas Jefferson
- Abraham Lincoln
- and several others.
I think this is a really great idea. Take some great quotes, add them to a nice picture of the quote, and then offer them as a free download for your readers. Win-win all around, and something you could do for your team too, and here’s how:
Take your team or firm catch phrase (ours is Taking client service to the next level) and a great picture (we have a picture of people walking up steps), frame it, and hang it up on the wall by your team.
Or make them 4×6 photos, frame them, and give one to each person on your team.
Or do it with a picture of your team together (something we don’t currently have because of all the turnover recently).
If you’re looking to add a little inspiration to your desktop, I’d recommend you download one or two of these free leadership wallpapers.
Are there any great leadership quotes you’d like to see with photos? Leave your favorite quote below, and I’ll see what I can do to put something together for you, or maybe I’ll ask Michael McKinney from Leading Blog to add them to his collection for us all to enjoy.
Photo credit courtesy of Leading Blog.
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POSTED IN: Phil Gerbyshak, management by quotation
7 opinions for Free Leadership Wallpapers
csbmonkey
Jul 30, 2008 at 6:51 am
*whew* When this rolled through Google Reader at the top level it just said “leadership wallpapers” and I started wondering if Slackermanager had jumped the shark and was going to get deleted from my rotation. Happily, no. Tasteful photos with truly inspirational quotes instead of the much loathed and deservedly despised “inspirational” posters that were in vogue in the late 90s.
I have often wondered why managers go for pre-built “programs” that are being sold as team building inspiration silver bullets instead of looking at truly inspirational films and historical figures. In the same vein, if it inspires YOU as a manager it might not inspire an employee at all. Which brings up the question (it doesn’t “beg the question”, btw, since that isn’t what begs the question means), do managers ever ask their employees “Who is an inspiration for you?” Or “What inspires you in your life?” I can honestly say that these are questions that I have never been asked by anyone I have worked for but which if asked would truly pique my interest in what exactly my manager wanted to know about me.
I am sure that my managers know about me that I am a big film buff and love a wide swath of films and movies ranging from silent films to horror movies, but discussions about it are never about what I find inspiring about a particular film or movie (yes, I distinguish the two) or why a particular filmmaker or screenwriter or actor is an inspiration for me. And I will say, I have many of them. I keep a catalog of inspiration and note great moments of particular people’s creative lives that seem to stand out as to me as particular examples of what the person was trying to DO with their craft, be it film or music or writing or a novel.
Do I do this with managers or business figures myself? Honestly, no. I can only name a single business person that might make that list, and I know from enough stories on him that as a person he’s probably not someone I would like. :) *heh* I just mentioned “creative” and “business person” and “inspiration” in a single sentence, so I suspect most people can guess that person.
Do you, as managers, know whom inspired and continues to inspire your employees? And conversely, have you ever communicated to THEM who your OWN inspirations are? Do you have more than one so that you can share common examples between you so that you both have a similar story to draw from? Frankly, I have no idea who inspired/inspires my own managers. I am sure they have no idea who my inspirations are or those inspirations’ works.
Wouldn’t that be an interesting thing for everyone to know?
Miki
Jul 30, 2008 at 8:52 am
It’s true that if you want to inspire you need to know what floats the other person’s boat—not what floats yours. Often it’s not the idea, but the source or phrasing that makes the difference between effect and no effect.
That said, I’ve given the following quote to every striving manager (as opposed to the ones who already know it all) I know; maybe not so much as inspiration, but as guidance. Still, it would make great wallpaper.
As for the best leaders,
the people do not notice their existence.
The next best,
the people honor and praise.
The next, the people fear;
and the next, the people hate…
When the best leader’s work is done,
the people say, “We did it ourselves!”
To lead the people, walk behind them.
Lao Tzu
CK
Jul 31, 2008 at 2:51 am
I was hoping that there would be MORE available but this is a good start! Looking at the pix I thought that they would make good mousepads as well!
I am sure there are many more that could be created. As an example, Mother Teresa (in a non-religious manner) or other inspiring people - people which whom others can connect with. Connection is important if inspiration is desired.
Phil Gerbyshak
Jul 31, 2008 at 5:52 pm
CSBMonkey - Please share an article about what you find inspiring and why you find it inspiring to you with us. Just send me an e-mail and I’ll post it. You seem like a VERY rare individual contributor who actually cares…but is ignored. DOH! Bad manager!
Phil Gerbyshak
Jul 31, 2008 at 5:53 pm
Miki - Great quote and great points. Thanks for the powerful sharing. I love that quote too! I’ll see about turning that into wallpaper.
Phil Gerbyshak
Jul 31, 2008 at 5:54 pm
CK - Great point. Mousepads, coffee mugs, whatever. As CSBMonkey said much better than me, it’s not what motivates me that motivates my employees…It’s what motivates THEM that’s important.
And yes, I wish there were more too. I hope Michael keeps adding more :)
An Employee’s View on Motivation
Aug 1, 2008 at 2:55 am
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