How Leaders Inspire Followers

        "He who thinks he's a leader but has no-one
               following, is merely taking a walk."

                  JOHN MAXWELL

The main difference between leaders and non-leaders is this: leaders have followers, non-leaders have no followers!  There are people that occupy positions of authority but have no followers.  Tragically, some of them think that they are leaders when in actual fact they are not.  Leaders have followers, non-leaders have no followers.

If occupying a position of authority is no guarantee of leadership, then what is?  The answer is simple: the ability to inspire people.  Leaders inspire people to become their followers.  Becoming a leader involves inspiring people to follow you, and only those that know how to do so do it effectively.

Today, I am going to share with you three ways that leaders inspire people to become their followers.  I hope that they will help you become an effective leader, even if you do not occupy a position of authority.

1.  Leaders talk a lot about where they are going.  People like to follow people that are going somewhere and not those that are going nowhere.  Anyone that shows himself to be going somewhere will see people following him.  Anyone that shows himself to be going nowhere will not see people following him.

2.  Leaders show their followers the way.  Followers expect leaders to direct and guide them to where he is going.  Such direction and guidance gives followers clearer sight of where leaders are taking them. Without such direction and guidance, most followers lose sight of where leaders are taking them to and lose trust in their leaders.

3.  Leaders promise rewards to their followers.  The prospect of a reward motivates followers at all times.  Followers that have nothing to look forward to may at anytime become unmotivated.

That's how leaders inspire followers.

You do not have to occupy a position of authority to become a leader. Becoming a leader involves inspiring people to follow you.  Tell me where you are going, show me the way and promise me a reward for my efforts and I just might follow you.