Course 1002L: "Why Would Anyone Follow YOU?"

“Leadership is not about power or authority. Leadership is decidedly more human. Being a leader requires one thing and one thing only: followers. A follower is someone who volunteers to go where you are going. They choose to go not because they have to, not because they were incentivized to, not because they were threatened to, but because they want to. The question is, why would anyone follow you?” – Colin Powell

A leader needs three things for someone to be willing to follow them.
• First, a leader needs a set of skills, personality traits, and behaviors that people desire for themselves. In other words, a leader cannot be a jackwagon, moron, or bully (you might get away with being one of those, in some rare instances two of those, but never all three).
• Second, a leader either needs a vision of something better, or situation that requires something to be done to remedy it.
• Third, a leader needs to take action. If you just sit still, you won’t lead anyone anywhere.

We may not be able to help you with the second or third things in that list. Either you have a vision, or you don’t. And everyone’s situation is different and needs that in-person evaluation. But I can give you some tips, guidance and share my experiences that can help you obtain, refine, and master some of those qualities to help you take care of the first thing. Note I said “some” of those qualities. Each one of us is made up of hundreds of traits that in various combinations make us who we are. But you can focus on three main areas and those are Self, Others, and Communications.

1. Improving Yourself. None of us are perfect nor will we ever be. But no matter how good you are (or think you are) there are an endless number of areas where you can be better. To help you evaluate yourself, look inward, and make improvements in areas where you might be lacking, you need to start with these things.

a. Defining your Purpose.
b. Establishing your Principles.
c. Monitoring your Progress.

2. Build Better Relationships. No matter where or what you lead, relationships are a key to success. Whether that is getting the most from your team, engaging your peers or stakeholders, or even managing your boss. Without relationships you’ll die on an island alone unless you do these things.

a. Identify the relationship Reason
b. Approach people with Rectitude
c. Nurture the Results

3. Communicate Effectively. This one cannot be undersold. Everything you do requires communication. No one can learn you, your vision, your plan, your idea, or your mission unless you communicate it to them. And all you dream of can be lost if you don’t communicate in a way that gets them to understand and believe. You can have better communication skills if you focus on these areas.

a. Your communication Motives
b. Good communication Mechanics
c. Proper communication Materials

If you address these areas and continuously strive to improve, that will be the answer to the question, “Why would anyone follow you?”