Authority, position and title won’t make you a leader.
Don’t worry about being a leader. Worry about being a person worthy of being followed.
10 leaders people choose not to follow:
- Tippy-toe leaders who live by fear.
- Hand-holding leaders who coddle rather than challenge.
- Finger-pointing leaders who never take responsibility.
- Face-saving leaders who protect their image at the expense of others.
- Butt-kissing leaders who change their behavior when top brass is around.
- Truth-shading leaders who bend the facts for personal advantage.
- Dark-cloud leaders who only see problems.
- Big-boss leaders who love telling people what to do.
- Glory-hound leaders who love praise and steal credit.
- Motor-mouth leaders who love the sound of their own voice.
10 ways to be a leader people choose to follow:
I asked a group to talk about the qualities of people they have gladly followed. Here’s a sampling of their responses.
- He saw things in me I didn’t see in myself.
- She cared about people and ran a tight ship.
- I was confident she had my back.
- He had competencies I aspired to gain.
- She’s always pressing forward.
- She gave me opportunities to talk.
- She was humble.
- He expected a lot out of me and himself. He walked the talk.
- He’s passionate to learn.
- They have good character. (Everyone nodded when character came up.)
4 added tips for aspiring leaders:
- Focus on adding value, not gaining followers.
- Become the person you would choose to follow. Would you follow you?
- Share your inner best intentions. Authenticity is more compelling than talent, skill, or competence.
- Honor people. People choose leaders who make them feel they matter.
What type of leader would you choose not to follow?
What kind of person would you follow?