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Voluntary Followship
- Posted on February 5, 2012
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“Talk to people in their own language. If you do it well, they'll say, ‘ . . . he said exactly what I was thinking.' And when they begin to respect you, they'll follow you to the death."
— Lee J. Iacocca
It’s said that some leaders or born, others are made. But regardless of the cause or path to leadership, a leader is ultimately granted the right to lead by the followers. The true test of leadership is “voluntary followship.”
The leader-follower relationship is one of mutual respect. The leader who has earned “voluntary followship” has taken the time to convey a clear sense of purpose to the follower and given the support needed to fulfill that purpose. A leader who respects the follower understands the needs of the follower. In turn, the follower willingly and confidently follows the leader giving the leader the full benefit and respect of the position.
Without mutual respect the leader-follower relationship is nothing more than one of compliance.
When a leader leads in such a way as to earn the respect of the follower, the relationship not only becomes mutually productive, it becomes inspirational; it unites both the leader and the follower in a meaningful relationship and helps both achieve greatness.
© 2012 The Growth Group - All rights reserved.
Great Leadership Inspires
- Posted on January 9, 2012
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Our chief want is someone who will inspire us to be what we know we could be.
-- Ralph Waldo Emerson.
We're all tempted to think of a leader as someone who seems to exude power and strength, someone with natural effortless confidence. We may even be tempted to consider success a leadership quality. But while these are qualities often found in leaders, are they the qualities that make a leader great? Not necessarily. If strenght, power and confidence were the only characteristics of a great leader, the schoolyard bully would qualify.
No, strength, power, confidence, success and even other qualities such as charisma and charm are not the key marks of great leadership. Great leadership inspires.
A great leader inspires others to be great. A truly great leader has the ability to bring the best out in others, to achieve, to set up and reach towards personal goals. A great leader motivates others into action. It is the person who can inspire others into becoming what they were meant to be, what they were created to be, and to find their purpose in life who takes ordinary leadership to extraordinary levels . . . to greatness.
© 2012 The Growth Group - All rights reserved.
Do you know your WHY?
- Posted on August 31, 2011
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“There are two great days in a person's life—the day we are born and the day we discover why.”
-- William Barclay (1907-1978)
Most people have a ready reply when asked: “What do you do for a living?” Some have their thirty-second “elevator” speech down pat. They're quite clear about their “WHAT.”
But, if you ask them "WHY" they do what they do, you might get a hesitant response if one at all.
How would you respond if someone were to ask you, “WHY do you do what you do?”
The “WHY” question doesn't often generate a rapid response.
Perhaps it's because we're rarely asked this question. Or, could it be because we simply haven't thought about it very deeply? You may be wondering—why the “WHY” question and someone's response to it even matter?
It matters because a person’s “WHY” determines “HOW” they are “WHO” they are.
Do you know your “WHY?”
© 2011 The Growth Group - All rights reserved.
Determination
- Posted on May 18, 2011
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Little by little one walks far. -- Peruvian Proverb
Goals provide a focal point in the future for our journeys. They can serve as a beacon providing illumination.
But we all know some journeys can be difficult. They can become stressful. We can become tired. And, we can start to question the continuing relevance of our pursuits. What should we do?
It is at times like these that we may need to reach deep inside to find the determination and will to press on.
Perhaps you're feeling overwhelmed by the size of your goals. If so, try dividing your goals into “bite-size” chunks to make them more manageable.
Re-examine how realistic your timeframes are and, if possible, cut yourself some slack. Would you be happier reaching your destination a little late or not at all?
Reflect on the quantity of goals you are currently pursuing. How many are realistic for you? Learn to say “no” and be careful of overcommitting.
Then, try visualizing how good you’ll feel when you finally do arrive at your destination. Find renewed energy in taking one thing at a time. Each step really does add up!
© 2011 The Growth Group - All rights reserved.
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