Why would anyone follow you?

Research from McKinsey states that 70% of change leadership programmes fail due to poor leadership.  Yet if we typically put our best people on leading change what’s going wrong?

When it comes to change leadership, it obviously comes from self-leadership. That is, self-leadership of the person responsible or taking part in delivering the change.

Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom, which is your capacity to discern the knowledge you have.

So what do you know about yourself, and is this reflective of what other’s believe about your leadership style, and does it serve you when you are driving change?

Our blind spots remain blind unless we seek to illuminate them.

Putting Light On The Subject:

We all have an idea about what great leaders look like - it’s not a difficult question to answer. We know the feeling of working for good, bad and somewhere in between when it comes to leadership, and this informs us of who we believe we want to follow.

But when we look at those qualities do we really seek to understand whether we have them in ourselves? 

The points below give a starting point for understanding the qualities of a great leader and many of you, as you read, will believe you already know this and mostly likely you will be right because after all knowledge really isn’t the issue.  

The real issue is knowing how your leadership has impacted others.

These days, we can acquire knowledge anywhere. For example, we can all watch hundreds of You Tube videos on how to play a guitar, but the reality is that unless you pick up a guitar and can play it you don’t really ‘know’ if you can. And further, if someone actually likes the sound of it!

So, before you go and read the qualities of a great leader and start to switch off, as your brain begins to yell ‘tell me something I don’t know’ consider answering the three questions below as you do:

1.    Which of these qualities can others count on me for and what evidence do I have to support that view?

2.    What evidence exists to demonstrate I can’t be counted on for these qualities? yes, this means being brutally honest with yourself!

3.    Where are the gaps in my perspective vs. others (the mirror) – yes this means asking for feedback – does that make you shudder?

I’m willing to bet this is starting to feel a little bit more uncomfortable than reading an article with a bunch of ideas that you already ‘know’.

So below you have a list of nine qualities that great leaders exhibit – it’s not exhaustive and there are plenty of iterations to this list but take it as a starting point for your own evaluation.

1.     They stand for a cause that matters to them

Embarking a journey of change isn’t easy and there are many obstacles that will get in the way. Choosing something that matters to you means two things 1. You’ll have the energy to stand behind it when the pressure hits and 2. You have a much deeper understanding of why it really matters to those that the change benefits.

2.     They are prepared to choose an edge (a clear stand for something distinctive/a side) even if it means standing apart from the masses in the middle.

Being a change leader doesn’t always make you popular but how many of the stand out leaders in history are remembered because they were prepared to do things others weren’t? Great leaders stand out because they are prepared to risk their own popularity for a much greater cause.

3.     They inspire a vision that is bigger than themselves

Taking an edge isn’t easy but great leaders know that in doing so they will need to inspire others to join them.  We all know it takes a village to make change happen and great leaders know how to enrol others on the journey.  Often those great leaders haven’t had any positional power yet have inspired others to follow them.

4.     They lead to serve

Whilst you could lump this up with point three above, I’ve chosen to keep this separate for the simple reason that great leaders remember their leadership is about serving others not themselves.  Having a servant heart is a critical quality of great leaders.

5.     They have a strong propensity for action 

The menace of procrastination is something many of us suffer from, but it is worth remembering that most of what we do is of no importance, but it is ultimately important that we do it.  Great leaders know there is no change in the absence of action.  The first step, however small, must always be taken.                 

6.     They are trustworthy

Speaking truthfully, operating with integrity and demonstrating consistency in the way they show up for others is core to building trust.  We all know what it feels like when you are walking on egg shells around a leader because you don’t know what you are going to get from one day to the next. Consistency builds a stable foundation on which people can trust and allows them to get on with the task in hand.

7.     They have faith in themselves 

Leaders become what they believe themselves to be.  Each of us have great abilities to make significant changes yet what holds many back is their own limiting beliefs.  We each have our own visions of what a great leader looks like and we may not fit that particular mould, however, having an unshakeable belief in oneself doesn’t necessarily mean you have all the skills you need but it does mean you are more likely to go and acquire them. 

8.     They have persistence and resilience in the face of adversity

Any change is likely to result in hitting a few obstacles but what defines a great leader is how persistent they are in overcoming challenges and how they demonstrate resilience, not allowing any setbacks to deter them from their end goal.  Learning from mistakes, not deeming them failures but opportunities for growth help build leadership resilience.

9.     They empower others to act

A propensity for action in one self is one thing but empowering others to act for themselves is a key mark of a great leader.  This is not to be confused with delegation of key tasks for execution.   Empowerment is giving others the opportunity to see the bigger picture for themselves and giving them the opportunity to determine how best they can achieve the goal in their own way.

So what’s the verdict?

As you worked through the list, what did you discover in answering those questions?  If you didn’t answer them that may already give you some clue as to your leadership style are you a ‘know it all’ or a ‘can’t be bothered’ type of leader?!

Reading this article and ‘knowing’ doesn’t mean anything until you come from a place of living what you know. 

Living only happens action.  

That’s when you truly demonstrate that you ‘know’ what it takes to be a leader and others see it and acknowledge you for it.

No-one said leadership was easy, but it is worth remembering the quote below when you are wondering why anyone would follow you.

“Your beliefs become your thoughts. Your thoughts become your words. Your words become your actions. Your actions become your habits. Your habits become your values. Your values become your destiny.”

What actions will you choose so that others are willing to follow you?