One of the great debates about leadership centres on whether leaders are born or made. A study by Biola University found that “most researchers today believe that the origins of leadership go beyond genes and family to other sources. Work experiences, hardship, opportunity, education, role models, and mentors all go together to craft a leader.” Notice that the study doesn’t disregard the possibility that certain leadership attributes are in-born, just that the fuller picture of leadership involves external factors. Regardless, if you are a leader—or if you aspire to be one—then you need people to follow you; otherwise, you aren’t a leader.
You may have the authority that comes with a leadership position; but do people want to follow you, or do they
merely snap into lockstep behind you for a payday, some benefits, and the thrill of corporate pursuit? The answer to
this question could mean the difference between years of satisfaction and success, or years of struggle and scraping by. The Biola study also noted that the “raw material essential in people in order to lead is not scarce,” and that
“the lack of needed leaders is a reflection of neglected development, rather than a dearth of abilities.” That means
you can craft leadership skills—whether you were born with them or not—and become a leader people want to follow. There is no greater leadership responsibility than being able to craft and cast a compelling vision for your organisation, and though crafting a vision isn’t easy, when it comes to leadership, only one “vision question” really
counts: Are you a visionary, and are you actively pursuing that vision?
Much has been written about the limitations of money and perks to motivate the modern worker (just Google
“motivate employees without money” if you don’t believe us; Google will return nearly five million results). For better or worse, the global workforce has changed; a paycheck every two weeks isn’t enough to get the best effort out of increasingly detached employees anymore. Workers want to feel like they’re conquering Wall Street, hoisting the
Lombardi trophy, and storming Mt. Doom all at once. In short, they want to feel like their work matters—they desire a vision that will compel them to give their best effort to achieve a seemingly insurmountable goal. That’s where
vision comes in. Simply put, vision is a picture of your preferred future.
Whether it’s making your first million, winning a championship, or destroying the One Ring and freeing Middle Earth, the picture that accompanies that preferred future is the driving force that motivates dreaming, ideating, planning, hard work, and achievement. Effective leaders know how to harness the power of vision to motivate themselves and others when money and perks are tight, or even non-existent. Leadership guru John Maxwell has said that a leader is someone who “knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way,” and that “people buy into the leader before they buy into the vision.” Do you have a vision? Do your coworkers and employees know what it is, and do they believe in it—and in your ability to get them there? Everyone likes to ride the rides, but eventually, even
the most laid-back people want to get somewhere.
Contact Marcus for more leader and talent management solutions.
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