Leaders don’t lead numbers. Leaders lead people.
The key to getting more real followers – people you can
truly motivate, inspire or inform – is to be the leader people want to follow.
You may not have thousands of followers, but the followers you gain are the
ones you most want to walk with on your political and personal journey.
Great leaders make people feel
they aren't actually following; they are going somewhere important together.
Here are some ideas on being a leader people want to
follow:
Be true to yourself
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Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and
what you do are all in one harmony.
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When you’re a leader you’re on constant display.
Everyone watches what you do and say.
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What is truly most important to you and therefore your
people? Is that the focus of your conversations? The questions you ask and the
statements you make on a regular basis signal your real priorities.
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What is your inspiration? Think about what tends to
upset or frustrate you and how it aligns with the direction you set.
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What example do you set? How you manage your-self is
how your followers will manage their activities.
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When you’re a great leader, people don’t think about
you: They think about the goals, values, and direction you set… because the
shadow you cast aligns perfectly with those goals and values, and with their
own.
Take a position.
Great leaders sometimes feel the need to take a stand –
not because they seek publicity or notoriety but simply because they have the
courage to stand by their convictions.
What do you believe in – not just privately but publicly?
What are your core convictions? Do you hold those convictions because you think
you should… or because you hope others will admire you for them?
If what you believe is unpopular or out of favor, that’s
okay: You may not gain thousands of followers, but will gain followers who hold
the same convictions – and in time, together you might just start a movement.
v
Take a behavioral stand.
Great leaders are known not just for what they say but
also, more importantly, for what they do. What do you do that sets you
apart?
Great leaders embrace a worthwhile mission and excel at
that mission, setting an example to follow for others who also embrace that
mission.
v
Be accessible to all.
Often there’s a communication barrier between leaders and
the people they lead. (The more successful you become the bigger that assumed
barrier tends to be.)
Great leaders maintain a real connection with their
followers, and that connection is based largely on communication.
The more followers you have the harder it is to stay
connected.
Leadership is never a one-way street. If you want followers, you
must be willing to do what it takes to speak to – and, more importantly, listen
to – the people you lead.
v
Be human.
People don’t follow icons. They follow people. We all
have our faults, weaknesses, and eccentricities. We all make mistakes.
Embrace who you really are. Show a little of your
personal side.
Your personality helps others identify you – and identify with you. A
few personal details can add color and depth to your political image. People who will only like a false version of you are not
the followers you want.
Be the real you: You may have fewer
followers, but the ones you do have are the ones you truly want.
Think differently – and act on those differences.
v
Care for your followers:
“No
one cares about how much you know, until they first know how much you care
about them.”
When people truly know you care about them, that’s when
they start to care about you.
And when they know you care, they will listen to you...
and follow you… and do almost anything for you.
That’s the mark of a real leader – one worthy of being
followed.
