People don’t follow the leader because of the leader. Everybody is looking for a servant to serve them. People follow a leader because of their own personal needs. A leader who persuades them that he is the best one to help them meet these personal needs wins the people’s hearts and votes. People will follow that person. Notice that I italicized the word, persuade. You may really be the best candidate to deliver for the people but if they don’t believe you, they won’t follow you. They have to perceive you as the best route for them to meeting those needs.
What are these needs? See a link to our fundamental human needs below.
Even though meeting their fundamental human needs is the reason people will follow a leader, they often have no way of having the leader meet the needs beforehand to prove to them that they will be faithful to them and meet their needs. As such, followers must make a bet on the leader that the leader will do what they expect of him. That he will help make their dreams come true.
To make this bet, followers who are attuned to the facts look for 5 key things that will reassure them that the leader is a safe bet for them. I have created the acronym C.A.R.E.S. to help you remember them. People are looking for a leader who C.A.R.E.S.
Connection
People are looking for a leader who can connect with them and have a relationship with them. That shows them that you care. Imagine U.S presidential elections. Candidates that connect with the people and make the people feel that the candidate is one of them stands a better chance of winning that a candidate that is seen as out of touch with the people or from a wealthy elite. In the 2012 presidential election against President Barack Obama, Mitt Romney was seen as out of touch with the people and that didn’t help his chances.
When you connect with them, people will follow you because they know that you care about them. People don’t care what you know until they know that you care. Not just care, but that you care for them. Knowing that you care for them helps them know that they can trust you to deliver for them when they no longer have leverage over you. Remember that people follow you for their own interests, not yours.
Add Value
People will follow a leader who adds value to them. People want a leader who not only takes them to their destination but teaches them how to take others there. People want to grow and be independent. Leaders add value to people through serving them. Leaders serve people by developing them, empowering them and helping them to become their best selves. Good leaders add value to people in their personal and professional lives.
Respect
People want to follow leaders they respect or even revere. Respecting others is good and necessary. However, that simply means you are a nice caring person. But for people to follow you, it’s not only important that you respect them but it is vital that they respect you. They more they respect you, the more committed they would be to following you.
People will follow you if they respect you, why? Because it’s also in their interest to do so. If they respect you for your integrity, morals, hard work, etc, they feel comfortable following you because it assures them that you will help them get the results they seek.
Do the people respect you for who you are and what you stand for?
Experience
People want to follow people leaders who have experience producing great results. It’s not enough to simply have been around for a long time. That’s not the kind of experience I’m talking about. People will follow you because of the results you have produced in the past because they know that your past and current results show competence and predict future success in helping them get what they want. Remember that people want to get somewhere. The leader is the help they are looking for to help them get there. What good a help will you be? The leader’s job is to show the way. The results you’ve produced in the past will determine whether people follow you or not.
Have you delivered results that will make people want to follow you?
Shared Strategy
In addition to the preceding 4 things, people will follow you when you have a compelling strategy and vision of the future that they can identify with and share. Presidential debates are a tradition in the united states. This gives presidential candidates the opportunity to share their visions of the future and people choose the candidates whose vision of the country they share.
Share vision means shared fortunes. People want to know what’s in it for me. People follow leaders for their own sake. For them to do so, the leader must help them see what benefits await them in the future if they follow him.
When you have these five traits, people will know that you are a safe bet for them and will follow you. If your vision aligns with theirs, they will passionately follow you and live and die with you. They will do so because of their interests, not because of you.
Related Article: Fundamental Human Needs.