133 | Charismatic Leadership and Inspirational Leadership – Which Do You Want? with Peter Docker


Peter Docker

The difference between Charismatic Leadership and Inspirational Leadership may seem subtle. A leader can be charismatic and inspire others. It also works the other way too. But Inspirational Leadership is focused more on the greater good, whereas as the Charismatic Leader is more inwardly focused on himself. Our guest today is Peter Docker who is colleagues with Best Selling Author, Simon Sinek. Both Peter and Simon are spreading a message around the world to inspire people to be extraordinary and to do work that is significant. This interview is filled with wisdom and insights on being authentic and real. Join me by listening to this episode.

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Target Audience: Peter says he helps people achieve what they want to achieve. This includes many different types of people – whether individuals and companies both large and small. Peter believes we all operate on a biological level in the same ways. With that as Peter’s foundational WHY, he authentically connects to his audience because the desire to keep achieving and improving is universal in all of us.

Peter DockerPeter is also a colleague of Simon Sinek. Several years back, Peter joined the Consultancy around Safety Leadership. During that time, he became aware of Simon through the TED Talk: Golden Circle. Simon’s influence inspired him to leave the company and begin his own and he reached out to Simon to let him know that his ideas were very much in tune with his own ideas of how to create extraordinary performances.

What does it mean to Peter to be EXTRAORDINARY? Peter says it means everyone has the capability to achieve incredible things. This is achieved when you are passionate about something and clear about what you believe. In turn, that is what you can inspire in others. Others will join you when you are clear. This fulfilled feeling goes beyond happiness. It provides one with significance because they are truly serving others.

It takes an effort for some of us to be who we are. but that can be the source of inspiration for others. People connect with Authenticity. While this is not always necessarily easy, it also doesn’t require so much effort.

So how does this play out in the business world? Well, Peter says that if you just focus on numbers you can create an unpleasant environment: backstabbing, competition, lack of safety. Rather than taking care of external problems, everyone within the company fears each other. Numbers have no significance. Starting with WHY provides significance, trust and safety. Moreover, being significant is really just about the simple stuff.

Ultimately, this will help to move us beyond and past just sustaining ourselves (i.e- working to pay bills) and bring us to the high level of GENEROSITY. Generosity is about feeling secure about our time and our future. You can always replace money but not time. When you are clear about your WHY, it connects us to the human factor and as a pleasant consequence – clarifies the “numbers” aspect of business too.

Peter emphasises that Leadership is about Simplicity that starts with WHY. “Simplicity is the greatest sophistication” ~ Leonardo Da Vinci.

In this episode we’ll cover:

  • The difference between charismatic and inspirational leadership
  • What it means to be Extraordinary
  • Being clear on your WHY
  • The significance of the “human factor”
  • Our universal connection to each other
  • The significance of your Authenticity

Practical and Actionable

BE YOURSELF. It’s simple- it’s not always easy but in it, contains the highest level of sophistication. If you are authentic, people will warm to you. It’s that powerful limbic brain that will connect to yours.

Resources and Links

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