Part 1 - How Do You Create Followers?

In the last episode of Inspired Leadership I spoke of how leaders have the ability to look into the future to see new opportunities and possibilities for their teams and organizations. As I mentioned, this implies that the leader must then turn back to the team and say “come this way”. That implies having followers. Afterall, what good is it to see the future if no one will join you on the quest? 

If leadership implies followership, the real question then is why would anyone want to follow you? And better yet, how can you influence others to do just that? Why do some people seem to attract a following without even trying? They’re like magnets drawing others to their ideas and vision. Do you need to be charismatic, attractive or well-spoken, or is there more to it? Can you become an influencer and an inspirer and still be you? I believe the answer is a resounding ‘yes’! 

You see, I don’t believe the ability to draw in and enlist followers is dependent on you much at all, really. I do believe that once you have followers it’s up to you to organize them and lead them on the mission, but the curious thing about building a following is that it’s not about you, it’s about the follower. Let me explain. 

Everyone wants to contribute, it’s the way we’re wired. We’re looking for opportunities to be ourselves, to deploy our unique gifts and abilities in ways that we can each live out our full potential. As a contributor I’m always on the lookout to invest my time and talents that will bring about a return, a return for me. That return could be monetary or recognition, but it’s likely deeper, to be a return of satisfaction, empowerment, growth or significance. When I find those opportunities I go all in. 

So if building a followership is not about you, it’s about tapping into the deepest needs of those who might follow us, how do you do that? How do you communicate in a language that resonates and spurs the listener on to investigate further and join you on a mission? I believe there are four key messages that you as a leader must communicate to make that connection. Over the next four episodes I’ll share them each with you. So let’s start with the first message. 

Message #1: Tell them you have a purpose for them. 

We all want to be inspired. Inspiration is an idea outside of ourselves that sparks our imagination. Just as JFK inspired 1960’s America to dream big and dig deep to put a man on the moon, leaders today need to communicate to their people that there is a purpose-worthy cause to join. Never assume that your team remembers the ‘why’ of what you’re doing? Or perhaps the why is actually too big, too broad or too far flung and you need to bring it down to size. Maybe the purpose is the next project and how it will help the team. Perhaps the ‘why’ is a small improvement or enhancement to make someone else’s life a bit easier. Just tell me why this thing you are calling me to matters. What is the benefit, what will change, how will life be different after we accomplish this? We’re not talking about a mission to mars here, but the key word is value. What value will this project, task, mission or objective bring? 

And if that value requires more than you or I can do alone, then you’ve really peaked my interest. That’s the hook. That begs the next question of followership. But we’ll talk about that in the next episode. 

For now, as a leader, ask yourself this: What are you calling your team to do... today, this week, this year? Are you asking in a way that they can relate to, see value in and begin to imagine themselves in that future picture? 

Think about it.

PS - Do you have my new book yet? Get your copy of Superpower: Release the Potential in Your Team  on Amazon or any other online book retailer.