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In this post we want to look at the value of following a leader and the danger of following the wrong leader…
Let me take a look down memory lane …. How many of you remember as a child playing the game called “follow the leader”…?? How well I remember as a little boy when we played that at family gathers or when several small ones got together. Some leaders were easy to follow and keep up with while other were not, of course the object of the game was to lead in such a way that is was very hard for others to follow, and those who were followers would try to prove that they could follow and keep up no matter what..
Since we are older it takes the same determination to be able to follow a leader successfully…
So is it really important what leader we follow…??? I would answer with a very emphatic YES….Don’t follow the wrong leader…!!!
What will happen if you follow the wrong leader..??…. You will not end up where you wanted to be… does that mean that (he/she) was a bad leader?? Not necessarily, he/she just didn’t lead in the direction and am toward the goal you are trying to reach.
It is important that the direction of your leader resonates with you and your goals, because if the direction of your leader conflicts with your inner spirit and you are not able to change to unify your goals,you will become frustrated, and when that develops you are no longer following, so you mifht as well keep what you have learned, grow by that…and then move on to find someone you can follow..
If you are open to learn & grow you should be able to glean good info & content from most leaders, but that does not mean that you need to continue following them forever..
We need to continue learning and growing (if not moving forward we are going backwards..)so you do well to find someone that you can follow…you just need to make sure they are leading in the direction of your goal…
Becoming a member of a tribe is one of the best ways of finding a good leader, one who is going in the direction that you are wanting to go, then the learning, sharing, interacting and all that takes place in a tribe will help to propel you on toward your goal..
{ 22 comments… read them below or add one }
Paul,
A great reminder to think about who we are and where we want to end up, before blindly setting off on a journey.
Finding like minded people to travel with is an excellent strategy. I’m enjoying our tribe’s journey together.
Jodi
Paul,
You made some very valid points and we love the connection to the “follow the leader” game we remember playing as young kids. You are so right that you need to spend time picking the leaders you want to follow. As you’ve shown thru this post, good content is king to selecting our leaders and becoming ones ourselves.
Thanks for sharing this valuable information!
Jodi,
Thanks for your comment, I also am enjoying our tribe journey together..
Dave & Dawn,
Thanks for your comment on the value of finding the right leader…and then becoming one that others can follow..
Paul
Love it Paul,
I like the idea of following the right “Leader”
You are so right…. the tribe will help you find
a leader that is right for you. We have so many
great leaders in the tribe and so many leaders
from all walks of life. There is someone for everyone!
Cheers
Steve
Paul,
You so nailed this post! It’s amazing how many people get involved in businesses because a friend or relative has convinced them to do so. Blindly following a leader without researching and considering the quality of leadership they will offer can often be a frustrating and costly mistake.
Great message to all who are looking for a business opportunity. Do not cave into hype or pressure. Even if the business is a perfect fit, do some “shopping” for the leader who will best help you to build a successful business in the manner that best resonates with you.
Thanks for this reminder!
Kathy J
Paul! Great post my friend. It’s so important to check the type of leader you and also the kinds of leaders you want to follow.
I remember playing follow the leader combined with Simon Says on my front steps as a kid and if you didn’t follow the RIGHT leader you would end up at the bottom instead of the top.
Yes, Paul, I remember the follow the leader game well. Having just come out of an organization where the leadership kind of fell apart, I resonate with your message. You invest a lot of time and effort into a leader and it is painful when (for whatever reason) it doesn’t work. What I’ve tried to do is take the positive things I learned from the business venture and throw the rest away.
It definitely is all about following the right
people… when you’re looking for a leader.
If you follow the wrong person, you will end
up where you don’t want to be:)
Thanks Paul!
This is an important message Paul.
It’s so important to do your research, ask the right questions, and make an informed business decision when deciding who you want to partner with.
Awesome stuff!
Dave
When a group trusts it’s leader and is unified in it’s purpose, there is great power. When we are unsure about our leadership, we lose confidence and have to scrutinize every suggestion. Momentum is lost, and the fun evaporates. Being selective about our leadership is essential! Thanks, Paul, for leading us all in the right direction.
Paul, you’re bringing back some fun memories of me being on the Little League baseball field playing follow the leader
You mentioned Tribes and I just re-read Tribes by Seth Godin and he speaks of these very same principles of success. We must be willing to follow at times, but also be willing to lead and when we find our “tribe” we need to take that leadership position!
Keep up the great work Paul,
Chris Hughes
I like your “follow the leader” memories and comparison. Those looking to get started in business sometimes gets so caught up in the flashy hot cars and the mansions and all the hype and drama of the person placing the ads and buy into that with that person…. and more often than not, they never stopped to look at leadership and making sure the relationship for business partnering was right.
thanks Paul…
PS: Love that motor home!
Good points here Paul. Picking great leaders to connect with is an important component of success. We need to be certain we are connecting with people of like vision and values.
Paul, You are So right. If you follow the right leader, you’ll end up in the right place. Follow the wrong ones, it’s a DEAD END.
Great post Paul!
Following the right leader is key for anyone who is growing in their life. I believe that leaders show up in your life for a reason and a season. We need to be aware of both of those and when the reason is fulfilled and the season has ended be able to move on with confidence and purpose to find another.
Thanks again.
Make it a great day!
God Bless,
-ed
Yes! We must find a great leader to follow! We are truly in the information era! Without a good leader we can get bogged down with all the information! It’s important to choose wisely, not only the product or service, but the leader also! Thank you for sharing!
Wow! Paul, This is so critical! Much like our other life decisions, we must listen to our inner voice and that will guide us to the right leader!
Glad to have found your blog!
Nancy
“Mentor Mama”
Paul…I can’t agree with you more! I like it when you mentioned “spirit” If it doesn’t line up with your spirit, our inner self, our spirit should be our true guide! We all need mentors we all have mentors wither it’s your pastor, teacher, best friend, or the other half meaning wife/husband. I’m looking forward to your blog and journeying with you in your personal development!
Debby Beachy
Paul –
One of your key observations that really hit home with me was the fact that you need to find a leader whose beliefs are congruent with yours. In a previous corporate career, I was assigned a mentor who had a very different outlook on life than I did. However, as a young and inexperienced person, I believed that I could “compartmentalize” and ignore the stark differences. I was very wrong and it made my situation unbearable. However, it was a great lesson to learn early on. It’s also why I take the time to get to know anyone who may want to work with me before we make a commitment to each other. It is just as important when you want to be a leader to do what’s in the best interest of those you would lead.
Chip
Thanks for the kind comment Chip, and I really like the point you made about the leader leading for the best interest of his team….that is so important.. as a selfish leader will soon be leading very few…selfishness brings death…
Thank you Debby, our spirit is very important….our true inner values…should not be violated…
Much appreciated
Thank You Nancy,
I have followed some leaders that I learned so good things from but needed to make a change as it just was not blending with mine…just because we can learn from someone does not mean that we need to follow them forever…