7 Core Elements of Leading a Movement, Not Just a Business

High-quality leadership is desperately needed in our world today. Unfortunately, committed leaders with strong character are rare and difficult to find.

Entrepreneurs have the unique opportunity to step up and fill this gap in the marketplace. 

If you want to not only build a profitable business but also impact lives while doing it, here are 7 core elements of leadership that you must embrace. (DISCLAIMER: These 7 elements come from Seth Godin’s book “Tribes.” Additional commentary is ours.)

1 - Leaders Challenge the Status Quo

The majority of people seek to play it safe and desire things to mostly stay the same. Leaders see what’s broken in the world around them and challenge the status quo that isn’t working. Entrepreneurs see gaps in products, industries, and the marketplace and challenge the way things are to make things better.

2 - Leaders Create a Culture Around Their Goal and Involve Others in That Culture

While an idea may be generated by one person, lasting change and impact happen with the help of a committed community. Whatever you offer, find ways to involve others. Create a space for others to participate and contribute. Those who opt in to what you’re doing will become the greatest advocates for your business because they want to be a part of something bigger than themselves.

3 - Leaders Have an Extraordinary Amount of Curiosity About the World They’re Trying to Change

While best practices exist in every industry, remaining curious and teachable is vital to growth and expansion. What worked a decade ago rarely works as well today. What works today will need to be improved upon tomorrow. Stay curious about your specialty area. Pay attention to the world around you. Seek answers to questions that come up as you go about your business.

4 - Leaders Use Charisma (In a Variety of Forms) to Attract and Motivate Followers

Charisma is a characteristic that many people believe they don’t have. Therefore, they allow this lack to disqualify themselves from trying to lead. We easily compare ourselves to people who have big personalities or celebrity status. The reality is that you don’t need to have that type of charisma in order to be an excellent leader. There is a group of people waiting for a leader like you. Your personality and experience are what they are craving. Many people are repelled by the big personalities. They simply want someone who is authentic to guide them. Embrace who you are. You have a unique personality that others are looking to learn from and do business with.

5 - Leaders Communicate Their Vision of the Future

One of the fastest ways to attract an audience of committed followers is to craft a clear, compelling vision and invite others to join you in pursuing it. Leadership expert John C. Maxwell once shared that he wrote his vision on laminated index cards to pass around to people and asked if they were interested in joining him to accomplish it. This was a filter that attracted his own tribe of passionate followers that has now impacted every nation in the world.

6 - Leaders Commit to a Vision and Make Decisions Based on That Commitment

Once you clearly articulate your vision, your decisions should be based on pursuing it. You need to eat, sleep, and breathe the vision if you are to accomplish it. How you work, what you create, and how you communicate will be driven by the vision. Apple co-founder Steve Jobs once said, “If you are working on something exciting that you really care about, you don’t have to be pushed. The vision pulls you.” Commit to your vision and decide to take action that moves you closer to achieving it.

7 - Leaders Connect Their Followers to One Another

Leaders are community-builders. You don’t need to be the smartest person in the room. You simply need to gather smart people together and allow them to collaborate utilizing their “zones of genius”. Be a bridge-builder. Cultivate community. Give people a place to belong and contribute. Those who follow you will begin to invite others into the community which will allow for expansion and greater impact.

Entrepreneurs aren’t simply building faceless businesses. Instead, we are building something of value that is worth inviting others to join and invest their time, energy, and resources into. As you design, launch, and grow your business, make sure you are becoming the kind of leader worth following along the way.