QUOTATION 42

JOHN QUINCY ADAMS ON HOW YOU KNOW YOU ARE A LEADER

WHAT TO DO

• Followers are not just inspired by what leaders achieve. They are inspired by the leader’s story. Did they become successful by being ruthless, driven and greedy like Gordon Gekko in Wall Street, or did they become the biggest man in town by always putting the needs of others first, like George Bailey in It’s a Wonderful Life? In other words, people are influenced by the leader’s character and values. If people buy into your actions, values and character, then you are well on the way to becoming a leader.
• Words can also inspire and lift people. Both Churchill and Martin Luther King used language to inspire their followers during the darkest of times. But those words would have sounded flat and meaningless if their actions did not match what they said. Despite the danger, Churchill stayed in London throughout the Second World War, and Martin Luther King placed himself at the front of many marches knowing that he ran the risk of being attacked by police and their dogs, state troopers and ‘concerned citizens’, including the Klu Klux Klan. If your words match your actions, then people will trust and follow you.
• How you deliver the message is a difficult one. Churchill and Martin Luther King were great orators. Both of them had studied oratory and were experts at structuring their speeches for maximum effect and coining phrases that will never be forgotten as long as English is spoken. You don’t have to be a great orator. You just need to communicate with your followers using clear, simple words and unambiguous statements. However, what you say must be said with sincerity. You have to believe it. If you do, then listeners will hear it in your voice. Don’t be afraid of a bit of emotion. It shows people that you care, that what you are saying means something to you; it makes you more human and draws your listeners in.
• Don’t forget that people are judged by how they look (see Quotation 13). When you are starting out, you probably need to conform to the accepted dress code in your organisation, which may be a dark suit/dress or tee shirt and jeans. As you become successful, you can adopt a style that suits you. This will become part of your image, which people associate with you, and will not detract from the message you are delivering. It may even enhance it.
• Don’t be afraid to try and inspire people. People want to be inspired/swept away.

QUESTIONS TO ASK

• How consistent are my actions with what I say?
• In my life, who has inspired me? What was it about them that I found inspiring?