Inspiration and Motivation are both elusive in recent years.

In time past, leaders motivated people and inspired them. A genuine LEADER is a source of inspiration to their followers. He or she instills motivation in people, whether by example of by knowing what to say and how to say it.

There are few leaders, today, that do more than command people to work or give orders. They might “lead” in the business world, but do they inspire people? Not often. A few days ago, the tech world lost Steve Jobs. His passing marks the end of an era for many of us in high-tech industries. There were countless stories of Steve being a slave-driver, a work-a-holic, and other names I won’t mention here, but, everyone agrees that he was a visionary and a motivator. He had a way of inspiring people that few tech-industry leaders could match.

I am not, nor have I ever been an Apple fan-boy, but I recognize the company and the leader that gave the world the iPod, iPhone, and iPad. Apple devotees around the globe shared in the loss of Steve Jobs. Even I felt a sense of loss when I looked at my wife’s iPhone or saw her iPad lying in her home office.

Every great leader inspires and motivates people.