Gandhi led from prison, Hitler led from the pulpit, Jesus led from the streets, Philip of Macedon led from the front lines. Leadership is not a position, it's influencing others to put their time, talent and energy into a common goal. That being said what makes a great leader great?

A great leader isn’t someone that has all the answers, they’re not the most talented in all the positions under their jurisdiction, they don’t always have a super high IQ or any other super human talent. Leaders are good at defining a vision with passion and pulling out of others the desire to put their effort into accomplishing that vision. The big question then, is how do you convince other people to put their effort into your vision?

There are several human traits and strategies that can pull people in. I’ll just cover a handful. First you should present a new offering. Even if you're in a common industry you should put a new spin on it with a unique perspective. People are attracted to something new, weird or unique.

Second, give them a worthy cause greater than themselves and demonstrate extreme enthusiasm for the cause. You don’t have to have everything figured out, it doesn’t have to make perfect sense. It has to make enough sense to grab hold of but your radical, obsessive, enthusiasm can be transferred.

Become an expert at helping others draw out their own barriers and solutions. 

• • • It’s not about you. It’s about lifting the people you lead.
    • People want to feel a sense of belonging. 
    • Serve the people in your tribe.
    • In small teams make small talk.
      • Ask thoughtful questions.
    • Provide value to your followers or team.
      • Help when they’re drowning.
      • Listen when they’re frustrated.
      • Value their ideas.
      • Give props when they’re successful.
      • Be the feedback loop everyone of us is looking for.
      • Discover what makes their heart beat and incorporate that type of action or interaction into their work. 
    • A leader’s job is to create more leaders.
    • A leader’s job is also to create teams and to set them in motion, make them accountable to the individuals within the team as well as to the larger organization.
    • Nurture the individuals.
    • Help them create goals and action steps in alignment with the vision.
    • Provide them motivation along with responsibility and power to work on those actions steps.

Lastly, continue to learn and challenge yourself, and the group. A movement has to grow and evolve. If things get stagnant for too long the individuals will start to crave another group or movement that will make their heart beat again.

For a more detailed exploration on influencing people, I recommend you read the following books. The True Believer: Thoughts on the Nature of Mass Movements.

Leadership Strategy & Tactics: Field Manual