The Secret of Leadership

I believe “change is a door that can only be opened from the inside.” You cannot make people change. But, you can encourage them to want to change themselves! And, that can best be done by example. E. M. Kelly once said, … “The difference between a boss and a leader is that a boss says, ‘Go!’ And a leader says, “Let’s go!”

Any leader who understands true power knows that you build a team from the inside out … starting with yourself.

Have you ever seen people in positions of leadership that could speak ever so eloquently … and tell you exactly what to do. But, many are like signposts. They can point you in the right direction, but they never seem to make the journey themselves!

A good leader inspires other people with confidence in the leader … a great leader inspires them with confidence in themselves. The job of a powerful leader is to inspire others to see their own greatness.

To do that, you need to understand what I call the “YOU” factor. Here’s what I mean.

You have got to convince your people on the concept that they are the “captain of their own ship.” They will determine their own destiny! Teach them … “YOU” are the “factor” that will make the difference. “YOU are the “variable” that will ultimately decide your own personal success or failure! It’s not your company! It’s not your product! It’s not your pay plan that will determine your success! It’s YOU!

Abraham Lincoln once said … “no man is good enough to govern another man without that man’s consent.” People want to follow … by choice. A powerful leader speaks with a calm and clear voice … He points people forward. A powerful leader leads … even in the midst of adversity. That will make people want to follow!

I heard a story one day about a party of tourists in the deserts of Palestine. Their guide was describing local customs. He said, “In the East, the shepherd always leads the way, going on before the flock. The sheep follow him because they know his voice and they trust him.”

When they reached Palestine they were amused to see a flock of sheep being driven along by a man walking behind them. One of the tourists approached the man and asked, “Why are you walking behind the sheep? We were told that the Eastern shepherd leads his sheep.”

The man said, “You are right. The shepherd does lead his sheep. But I’m not the shepherd, I’m the butcher.”

When a leader begins to coerce and manipulate his followers, he’s essentially abandoning leadership and embracing dictatorship. You can tell when that happens. He stops making requests and starts issuing orders.

Powerful leaders are not only instruments of change … but catalysts of change. A real leader faces the music, even when he doesn’t like the tune. He makes personal changes that will benefit the team. A leader’s willingness to change and grow makes everybody around them want to get better.

Men don’t drown by falling in the water. They drown by staying there. A powerful leader will initiate positive change. He will impact the lives of followers. And that will inspire them to initiate change in their lives!

The secret for getting people to want to follow you is, … they must see something different in your life. A powerful leader leads … by example!

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