Leading people is challenging enough when the people you’re leading want to be led. Leading people who don’t want to be led can be an even bigger challenge, but it’s not impossible. Leading reluctant followers requires that you always keep top of mind why you’re leading.
If you’re an Authentic Leader that “why” is to make a positive difference in the lives of the people you lead. That Authentic Leadership mindset is all the motivation you’ll need to continue leading, even in the face of tremendous resistance.
Here are some strategies that you can use to authentically lead people who are resistant to leadership.
- You MUST truly know the people you lead. Invest the time to get to know the people you are leading. Building a relationship with them can help you understand their motivations and concerns. It will also help establish trust between you and your team.
- You are leading by example whether you intend to or not. If you want others to follow your lead, you need to model the behaviors you want to see in them. This means demonstrating a strong work ethic, staying positive, and being committed to the goals of the team.
- Communicate, communicate and communicate some more. Be clear about your expectations and the goals you want to achieve. Use clear and concise language. Don’t use waffle words because it is your responsibility to make sure everyone understands and accepts their roles in the organization.
- Be open to honest feedback and listen to the concerns of your team members. Address their concerns and work with them to find solutions that will benefit everyone. As you grow in your leadership role you’ll discover that your people hold within them the solutions to most if not all of your organization’s challenges. But you must be an expert listener if you’re going to hear them.
- Give your people real ownership over their work and encourage them to take the initiative. When people feel like they have a say in the direction of the organization, they are more likely to be invested and engaged in its success.
- Recognize and celebrate the successes of your team. Positive reinforcement can go a long way in motivating people to continue to do their best work. Recognizing even small successes can lead to bigger results down the road.
- Remember that change takes time. Don’t forget that relationship building is a process. It may take a while for people to come around to your leadership style. Be patient and persistent in your efforts.
Leading people who don’t want to be led requires building relationships, leading by example, clear communication, listening to concerns, empowering them, celebrating successes, and being patient. All of those are within your control when you make a decision that says, I’ll Lead Today.
So, will you make that decision?
Want more of LeadToday? I’ve changed things up on my Twitter feed for subscribers. I recently began publishing two or three videos each week focusing on an element of Authentic Leadership. I’ll post these videos each Tuesday and Thursday morning. Sometimes a bonus video pops up at other times during the week. They will be about 10 minutes long so we can get into the topic in a more meaningful way. The investment for subscribers in still only $4.99 a month. That’s for at least 80 MINUTES of quality video content on leadership a month.
If you’re interested in taking a look, head on over to my Twitter profile page. If you’re not a follower yet just hit the follow button. It will change to a subscribe button and once you hit that you’re on your way. You can cancel at any time you’ve decided you have nothing left to learn about leading the people who you count on for your success.
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