How does a leader get people to follow?

The question how a person is able to get people to follow is absolutelly essential, since it basically identifies key leadership success factors. A leader without followers is in fact not a leader anymore.

In their article “Why Should Anyone Be Led by You” the authors mention two key set of factors for leaders to capture people’s heart, minds and spirits and hence get them to become followers. On one hand, a leader needs vision, strategic direction energy and authority and on the other hand, shall apply a set of four practical qualities: reveal your weaknesses, become a sensor, practice though empathy and dare to be different (Goffee & Jones, 2000).

The first set of basic capabilities can also be summarized as the ability for a leader to navigate, to drive and to control (Wood & Petriglieri, 2004).

Besides the two set of factors proposed above, charisma allows to transform a leader in a person others want to follow. This capability transcends all other factors (Antonakis, Fenley, & Liechti, 2012).

1.    Basic capabilities

Navigate

The importance of imparting a vision for a leader was already stated by the king Salomon and recorded in the Bible: “Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.” (Proverbs 29:18 King James Version). To visualize the purpose (Zaleznik, 1992), give a sense of perspective (Rothman, 2016), show in which direction the organisation should move is essential for a leader to mobilise his troops for the common goal. Hence a leader must clearly define and communicate the vision, mission, values and objectives. Equally important is the strategy, which outlines the path to achieve the set goals. Often leaders navigate inconsistently, as they are trying to meet the conflicting interests of stakeholders. This may create confusion for followers, who lose confidence. The only way to avoid this trap, is a strong set of values and the faith that they are serving a higher purpose (Vanderbroeck, 2008)

Drive

A leader must also be the engine that drives the organisation (Wood & Petriglieri, 2004), he motivates his followers, takes important decisions, makes things happen and enables collaboration (Renn Zaphiropoulos, 1980). The leader organises and delegates. He is a role model, leading by example and creating an environment where people can achieve their objectives (Fred Henderson, 1979). To develop talents is as well an important part of the driving.

Control

Leading a firm or a country successfully requires precision work, clear processes and a high level of stewardship. The best vision, mission, set of rules and strategy can only impact the organisation positively if they are operationalized and followed through. Additionally, constant adjustments to changing internal and external environments need to be made. For all this reasons, a leader needs to control, as little as possible but as much as needed, so to foster a feeling of safety, reliability and well-being among its followers (Wood & Petriglieri, 2004).

2.    Practical qualities

Reveal your weaknesses

To selectively share weaknesses makes a leader more approachable, more human. Hence, followers can identify with the person in authority and feel the need to support that person. It also creates a collaborative atmosphere, builds trust and bind the leader with its followers through a spirit of solidarity. To confess weaknesses, which are not questioning the leadership capability, protects the leader from more significant issues to be revealed, which could damage the reputation and make the leader lose followers (Goffee & Jones, 2000).

Become a sensor

The ability to collect and translate soft data, knowing what is going on before anything has been clearly stated, is very useful to timely identify problems and take corrective actions, before too many followers have turned away or even taken actions to undermine the leader’s authority. However great sensing skills must always stand the reality test. Leaders may overestimate their sensing capabilities, go too far and then lose their followers (Goffee & Jones, 2000).

Practice though empathy

Good leaders care for their followers and the work they are doing, they balance respect for the individual and the task, while giving people not what they want but what they need (Goffee & Jones, 2000). Though empathy means also a healthy and authentic feedback culture, which is instrumental in fostering open communication. Another aspect of it is to allow good fights, intense discussion and arguing focussed on the issues. This fosters cohesion and enhances performance (Eisenhardt, Kahwajy, & Bourgeois, 1997). Tough empathy allows to take difficult decisions, while keeping followers loyal (Goffee & Jones, 2000).

Dare to be different

Leaders who dare to be different create interest and influence as change, innovation and improvements are often motivating followers (Vanderbroeck, 2010). Leveraging differences as a woman can be very powerful, especially by using positive female archetypes like the pure virgin or the caring and protecting mother (Vanderbroeck, 2014).

3.    Charisma

Charisma is this ability to connect with the audience, compare, contrast with analogies and metaphors, so to rise follower’s passions and emotions. Charisma allows the leader to communicate his message, his vision in an inspiring way, captivating and motivating his followers (Antonakis, Fenley, & Liechti, 2012). This inspiration and stimulation, creating readiness to learn and perform, is key in the transformational leadership model (Pelz, 2016). Transactional leadership based on rewards and punishment and the tasked-based instrumental leadership are not sufficient to win followers effectively (Antonakis, Fenley, & Liechti, 2012).

References

Antonakis, J., Fenley, M., & Liechti, S. (2012, June). Learning Charisma. Transform yourself into a person others want to follow. Harvard Business Review, 1-5.

Eisenhardt, K. M., Kahwajy, J. L., & Bourgeois, L. (1997, July-August). How Management Teams Can Have a Good Fight. Harvard Business Review, 1-10.

Fred Henderson, HBS Case No. 480-043 (Harvard Business School Publishing 1979).

Goffee, R., & Jones, G. (2000, September-October). Why Should Anyone Be Led By You? Harvard Business Review, 1-11.

Pelz, W. (2016). Transfromationale Führung - Forschungsstand und Umsetzung in der Praxis. In C. v. Au, Leadership und angewandte Psychologie. Band 1: Wirksame und nachhaltige Führungsans?tze (pp. 93-112). Berlin, Germany: Springer Verlag.

Renn Zaphiropoulos, HBS Case No. 480-044 (Harvard Business School Publishing 1980).

Rothman, J. (2016, February 29). Shut Up And Sit Down. The New Yorker.

Vanderbroeck, P. (2008, 12 10). Odysseus and the Seduction of leadership. What should Drive your Choices? In Provocations. The online Journal of the Trinity Forum, 1-3.

Vanderbroeck, P. (2010, December). Lonely Leaders: And how organizations can help them. The International Journal of Mentoring and Coaching, VIII(1), 83-90.

Vanderbroeck, P. (2014). Leadership Strategies for Woman. Lessons from Four Queens on Leadership and Career Development. Heidelberg, Berlin, Germany: Springer-Verlag.

Vanderbroeck, P., & Castegnetta, M. (2012). Leading with Impact. Lorange Institute of Business Zurich, 1-4.

Wood, J., & Petriglieri, G. (2004, December). Leadership: Strategy Is Not Enough. Critical Eye.

Zaleznik, A. (1992, March-April). Managers and Leaders: Are They Different? 1-12.