How To Be A Leader That Inspires People To Change

No matter how old you are or what type of role you have in life, there are times you’re a follower, and there are times you’re a leader.

I don’t care whether you’re in high school or leading a firm with 500 people, some situations require leadership.

• When you get in trouble with your group or friends at school, there must be one person who takes ownership and apologizes.
• When your company has to deal with a huge setback, there must be people who lead the way toward growth.
• When your relationship with your partner is on the line, one of you must commit to improving it.

You see, when people talk and write about leadership, we often assume that you need a title to be a leader. “A CEO or president, that’s a leader,” is what most of us falsely assume.

Look, being a leader has nothing to do with your job. Leadership is a character trait that we can all cultivate. In fact, I believe leadership is one of the essential skills that every person should have. Contrary to popular belief, I don’t think that leaders are born.

Yes, some people are naturally more dominant and assertive. But leadership is about more than those things. I know leaders who are introverted and soft-spoken. But how do you lead? How do you get people to follow you? How do you get people to listen to your ideas?

It’s something my readers often ask me about. I recently received this email:

“My team is small but has very strong, opinionated people. I find myself playing mediator on a daily basis. It takes up a lot of my time, but I believe in making time for the people side of work. However, it can really be mentally exhausting.

I’d love to hear you talk more about team dynamics and how to stay positive around negativity. How to really influence change.”

This is what leadership is about. I don’t think you can make people do anything. You can’t make people follow you or listen to you.