“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.” John 10:27 NKJV
It’s now increasingly easy to gather a group of people online and become a thought leader, thanks to the digital tools available. But fans are not followers, and not all influencers are leaders.
To lead people is to say that your beliefs, message and mission are valid enough for someone else to submit to. To follow is to submit to the beliefs, message and mission of another.
In a large field, sheep rely on the shepherd to lead them to where there is food, security and rest. In other words, there is no submission without VALUE.
John Maxwell has taught extensively on leadership and I still regularly assess myself based on his framework. But one thing he says clearly is that different levels of leadership require different types of value. Value cannot be absent in a leader-follower relationship.
To lead is to decide to be the best version of yourself so you can give the right kind of value to those who have chosen to hear your voice, identify with your vulnerabilities and receive the help you offer through submission.
It’s a disservice to those we lead when we choose stagnancy over growth because it limits how much help others can receive. Eventually, the sheep will get the memo and migrate to another shepherd they feel is worthy of their submission.
The truth is every leader will experience this migration at different phases in life, but continuously improving your value will guarantee that at each phase, those who need it will flock towards you.
Helping those who need your help will require you to lend your voice, share your vulnerabilities and give value. But to do this, the work begins first with you. You can only pour into others what you have received. So plug into the right source at all times. The world awaits your work.
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