I learned early in leadership, you can’t lead people where they don’t want to go. You can’t force people to follow your leadership.
Some leaders try to drag them, force them, or boss them around if you have the power. You may even get them to comply.
But true leadership involves following. And that takes a willing participant.
Which makes casting an engaging “why” so important in leading others.
People may do what you tell them because you have the title or sign their paycheck. But they’ll give much more of themselves when they understand what you’re trying to accomplish and why it matters.
One of the mistakes leaders make is assuming everyone else is as excited about an idea as they are. We’ve been thinking about something for weeks, maybe even months. We’ve wrestled with the problems, considered the opportunities, and imagined what could be.
Then we announce the decision and expect everyone else to get excited immediately.
And when they don’t, we label them resistant to change. Sometimes they are. But sometimes we simply haven’t led them well.
People need more than direction. They need a reason to want to move in that direction.
They need to understand the problem we’re trying to solve. People need to see what could be better. They need to know how their contribution matters.
And they need opportunities to ask questions, offer input, and even challenge our thinking. That takes more time than simply telling people what to do. But it’s also how people begin to own the vision rather than merely comply with instructions.
Of course, not everyone will agree. Some people won’t follow regardless of how clearly you communicate. And leaders still have to make difficult decisions.
But before you assume people are unwilling to follow, ask yourself whether you’ve given them a compelling reason to do so. You can demand compliance because of your position.
But you have to earn commitment through leadership. And there’s a huge difference between the two.
