5 Ways to Be the Leader Everyone Wants to Follow

Don’t think you’re a leader? Guess again!

When I was in high school, I remember playing this game in drama class where one person would be blindfolded and their partner would take their hand and lead them around the school.

The poor victim would be dragged across the football field, up and down stairs, through the noisy cafeteria, and the unlucky ones might be pushed into the pool.

Sorry!

It was an uneasy game because you had to put your faith in whoever was leading you and hope they wouldn’t do something mean.

If you run your own business or if you’re a manager in a company, you must convince people that they should trust you.

In today’s video, you’ll learn 5 ways to be the leader everyone wants to follow.

The video transcript is below for your convenience.

Next Steps

• Make one tiny edit to become the leader everyone wants to follow.
• Watch my video, the Difference Between Treats and Rewards.
• Get your free printable worksheets in the Editor’s Toolkit.
• Subscribe on YouTube.

Video Transcript

When I was in high school, I remember playing this game in drama class where one person would be blindfolded and their partner would take their hand and lead them around the school.

The poor victim would be dragged across the football field, up and down stairs, through the noisy cafeteria, and the unlucky ones might be pushed into the pool.

Sorry!

It was an uneasy game because you had to put your faith in whoever was leading you and hope they wouldn’t do something mean.

If you run your own business or if you’re a manager in a company, you must convince people that they should trust you.

In today’s video, you’ll learn 5 ways to be the leader everyone wants to follow. Let’s go!

Hey there! I’m Sage Grayson, a former book editor turned life coach. I help ambitious career women edit their habits, routines, and mindsets to balance their happiness at work and home. I’m a Life Editor…and so are you!

Before I tell you how to be a better leader, please give this video a big thumbs-up and hit that subscribe button so you won’t any of my life editing tips.

You might think that you’re not a leader, but it might not always be that way.

Ten years ago when I was still a book editor, I was totally content to follow other people who I thought were more experienced or smarter than me.

Running my own business wasn’t even a blip on my radar. But things change, and here I am!

You’re going to be thrust into a leadership position at some point either by choosing to start a business, or getting a promotion at work, or even running your household and keeping your kids (and spouse) in line.

So here are my best tips for being the leader everyone wants to follow.

1. Give ‘em a Free Taste

Leadership is built on a foundation of trust, and the best way to get people to trust you is to give them a sneak peek of what they’ll get if they choose to follow you.

If you’re a business owner, you can give away a free worksheet, video, or resource in exchange for their email address.

My Editor’s Toolkit is a library of dozens of freebies to help introduce my new followers to the concept of life editing. I’ll leave the link below the video.

2. Overdeliver on Everything

Now that you’ve got some followers, give them a reason to stick around. By overdelivering on your promises, you’ll reinforce that they made the right decision to follow you.

If you’re a mom, you might tell your kids that you’ll buy a copy of their favorite movie if they do their chores for an entire month. Then when they follow your orders and do what you asked, get them the movie and some extra cupcakes as a surprise.

They won’t be expecting the bonuses so they’ll feel extra special.

Have you ever gone the extra mile to impress your followers? Leave a comment and let me know.

3. Design a Clear Path

It’s easier to follow a leader when you can see where you’re going. That’s what made the drama class game with the blindfolds so terrifying. Be specific and show your followers the clear path you’re leading them through.

If you’re a business owner, design a sales funnel that leads them to the logical next step whenever they come to the end of something. Never leave them hanging!

For example, at the end of my videos I tell my followers to sign up for my free Editor’s Toolkit. Then the worksheets in the Toolkit mention my Life Editor Clubhouse membership site. Then the video classes in the Clubhouse mention my private coaching and mastermind groups.

A clear path makes it easy for your followers to trust that you know what you’re doing.

4. Set Up Treats and Rewards

A strong treats and rewards schedule will keep your followers motivated and inspired even when the going gets tough. I’ll leave a link below this video for another video that explains the difference between treats and rewards.

Basically, a treat is free or inexpensive and you get it simply existing. A reward costs money, and you earn it through concentrated effort.

If you’re a manager, you can host a pizza day once a month or give your employees extra training and support when they reach certain quotas. One of my favorite managers would hand out $5 Starbucks gift cards just for fun whenever she wanted to boost our morale.

5. Be Accessible

No one likes an untouchable leader. You can’t earn their trust if you’re on a 20-foot high untouchable pedestal.

Being accessible doesn’t mean you’re available 24/7 or through every possible way of communication, but your followers want to know that you will be there in some way when they need you.

As a business owner, I still answer all of my emails myself and I host monthly Ask Me Anything Calls on my Facebook page to answer common questions.

If you’re a manager, you might leave a note on your door with your office hours when employees can speak with you

If you’re a mom, you might insist on family dinners or always drive your kids to school so they have your uninterrupted attention.

That’s it! This week, make one tiny edit to become the leader everyone wants to follow.

If you like this video, please hit that subscribe button. Then come on over to SageGrayson.com and sign up for my free Editor’s Toolkit to get dozens of worksheets to help you edit your life and lead like a pro.

Thanks for watching. I’ll see you soon.

This post focuses on Step 3 of the Life Editing Process, Add Good Habits and Routines. For more about life editing and what it can do for you, click here.