12 weird tricks that make others want to follow your lead
Life has shown me that the ability to lead others is a skill to be learned…
And an essential one at that.
Whether you're a boss, a parent, a romantic partner, or a brand-building writer, you want to know how to lead and inspire well.
Here are some little tricks to help you do this more impactfully:
1. Talk less, and listen more.
The more you talk, the less value is attached to your words.
Scarce words are valuable words.
Listen to what people say.
They are more willing to follow your lead when they sense you understand them.
2. Visualise yourself as a present and compassionate leader.
How you see yourself affects your behaviour.
Visualise yourself as the king of the jungle who cares.
Walk like a leader. Move like one. See yourself as one, and others will fall into your frame.
3. Take your time.
Rushers lose respect.
We rush because we're not settled in ourselves; people sense this. Slow down your movements and your talking.
Allow space to appear and use silence as an ally in effective communication.
4. Tell the tough truths.
People are exhausted by the bullshit.
Be the refreshing glass of water in the desert, willing to speak honestly, even if it hurts some feelings.
Nothing progresses without truth. Most of society's problems are rooted in political correctness and associated lies.
Be different. People follow the honest.
5. Be calmly unpredictable.
Never become too predictable.
Others begin to know you too well, which opens you up to manipulation. Embrace spontaneity and be unexpected.
This creates intrigue and will captivate those around you, making them more likely to want to follow your lead.
6. Do not hide your flaws.
The always-perfect leader is a puppet.
Full of fluff and unable to truly inspire. People respect those who own their imperfections while not feeling the need to continually over-share.
That's the balance.
7. Use humour to disarm and engage.
Great leaders remind us all that life doesn't have to be this never-ending, debilitating slog.
If they did, they'd be sucky leaders. Well-timed humour, and making light of themselves sometimes as well as serious things, isn't only for stand-up comedians.
The best leaders use humour in their own way to encourage and lighten the load.
8. Make decisions quickly, then stick with them.
A couple of past girlfriends made me realise how much of a turn-off continually changing my mind could be.
It's hard to want to follow someone who shows (too much) indecisiveness. Reflect as needed, but then commit, and show you keep them.
9. Don't be afraid to be the lone wolf.
Sometimes, the most effective leaders are willing to stand alone when necessary.
By making independent decisions and not conforming to groupthink, you show strength and individuality that others respect.
10. Appeal to people's emotions.
It may seem as though people follow leaders who show them the logical, practical steps, but often this isn't enough.
People act based on how someone made them feel. They either don't, or they respond to their emotional charge to want to act.
You do this by painting a picture of where they are now versus where they could be, for example.
11. Take responsibility, even for things you didn't do.
Great leaders never assign blame.
You'll be seen as accountable if you take responsibility for your failures and problems and those of your team or family. This is trustworthy and powerful for those who depend on you.
If you never take accountability for what you do, don't expect people to want to follow your lead.
12. Be the example of emotional control.
Most people struggle with maintaining emotional balance.
They get triggered or react emotionally to things they don't like. This telegraphs emotional instability, which is not conducive to attractive leadership.
You must learn to stay calm in the face of challenge and the Universe testing you, as it will continue to do.
Every challenge is an opportunity to remain calm, grow, and demonstrate sound leadership.
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Alex
“use silence as an ally in effective communication.” Love that!!😊
"Take your time."
It's funny how applying this to everything in life can help so much. Yet, if you're like me, you build tools and processes around you to check as many boxes as possible in as little time as possible.
I couldn't tell you why I don't do the things I know help. Maybe I'm just forever stuck in my School of Hard Knocks courses. #summacumlaude