All leaders want a team of killers who are just as committed to your organization’s success as you are. We all want the kind of people who don’t just try to make things happen, but actually get it done. We all want people who will execute, but that’s not usually how it happens.
However, it is possible to make it happen. Here’s how.
The first and most important thing to know:
1. You cannot make anyone do anything.
You can’t convince someone to do something that they have not convinced themselves to do.
You can’t control anyone’s effort.
Consider this: When you start to prioritize your health by eating right, exercising more, following a routine, and losing weight, you might start to push your habits onto those around you. As you know (likely from experience), that never works — unless they truly want it for themselves.
You can’t make somebody want something. If you’re preaching to a choir that sings a different tuen, your message is simply going to fall on deaf ears.
The second thing to know is:
2. The best way to help others be better is to be the embodiment of what’s possible.
Showing is much more powerful than telling. Your team isn’t going to be convinced of anything unless they see that you’re the example of what could be. If they see your results and want those for themselves, they’ll naturally want to emulate the habits and behaviors that got you there.
Here’s the bottom line: If you’re trying to convince someone to go from being half-hearted in whatever they’re doing to being fully committed, good luck.
But the more you lead the way for them, the more likely they are to follow.
Model the habits you wish for your team. Show them what’s possible. That’s how you attract that team of savages who will do what it takes to get sh*t done.
That’s what great leaders do.
