Become the Person that Others Follow

Leaders are hard to find, so why not be one? Some people are said to be "Born Leaders" while other exhibit "Quite Leadership". Either way, leaders exhibit a unique blend of charisma, vision and character traits that attract people to follow them. Most leaders recognize the need to attract followers. Those followers must feel confidence in the direction in which the leader is headed and they must feel enabled and empowered to do their part in accomplishing the stated objectives. For leaders and followers, communication is key.

Further, leaders must be accountable and trustworthy for the followers to continue to follow and support the direction of the leader. This takes true grit, because there will be difficult times for leaders to push through. For example, if progress ceases or slows, leaders should take the responsibility to analyze the problem and not search for people to blame. This analysis and problem solving provides an opportunity for followers to assist the leaders AND give the leader choices and varying perspectives in solving the problem. Followers must have confidence that their efforts won't be punished if they take reasonable and responsible risks.

Leaders must also help answer the "what's in it for me?". Followers need to believe that they will be recognized and rewarded for their contribution. Leaders understand that they do not achieve a goal alone. They know that there were many people who helped along the way and true leaders never miss an opportunity to acknowledge those people. Leaders can answer the WIFM for followers because they afford the opportunity to followers to be advisors, problem-solvers, and teammates.

Leaders build a business case. They take on tough questions like 'Why should we do business a certain way, take a certain path, or adhere to tough standards'? Leaders develop the purpose behind making their service, their department, or their business stand out by implementing processes and systems that help to differentiate them from other industry clones. Leaders try to make the right decisions, even though they aren't always the easy ones.

Successful leaders are honest about the potential risks inherent in the chosen path. They communicate, not just the overall direction, but any information followers need to successfully and skillfully carry out their responsibilities.

Occasionally, the leader is the person who is in charge, but leadership isn't defined by position alone. Leadership qualities combined with positional power magnify the ability of an individual to attract the all-important followers. Longevity plays a role in attracting and retaining followers, but again, it isn't the only indicator or leadership.

Why so much emphasis on being a leader? Everyone has the opportunity to be a leader in their field, their business, their department. It is the opportunity to stand out and set standards for others to follow. In the coming year, our business needs to set itself apart from similar business models across the country. One way to do that is through differentiation, industry participation, and good old fashion leadership.