There’s a simple measure for leadership that is too often ignored or even overlooked entirely …

 

A leader only exists if there are followers. Followers are there to be taken to a higher level of understanding of an issue, so there can be a higher level of engagement. 

 

Engagement leads to commitment. When followers are truly committed to an idea, we see aligned behaviours and actions, that lead to an expected or desired result.

 

Followers are usually in the collective, meaning that real leadership is expansive in nature. The impact of the leader should be greater than their own reach.

 

A key factor in leadership is time … how quickly does the collective of followers understand, engage, commit and act?

 

On this basis, a key measure of leadership is the RATE of RESULTS of the followers. In short, the measure of leadership isn’t how the leaders makes people FEEL – the real measure of leadership is what the followers DO, and how fast they do it.

 

Of course, values matter. If we’re measuring the rate of results of the followers, then the leader’s values really matter.

 

Now is a time for values driven leadership, that guides people towards positive, responsible action, at a rate that matches the challenges of the times we live in.