To Lead People, Walk Behind Them

“To lead people, walk behind them.” Lao Tzu

Calling all leaders: think in terms of your prospects, clients, and peers. Leadership, just like Lao Tzu so eloquently put it, requires us to clarify the vision of where we’re going and then rally behind the people who are going to get us there.

When we have a mindset of leading from the back, we’re empowering the people in the front to feel like the heroes of our shared story. We’re giving them agency. We’re giving them leadership roles to play. This is where the magic happens.

You know who wants to keep showing up and putting in the work? The person who feels good about doing it. That’s the person who feels like they’re the engine driving the progress, moving everyone towards the results. It’s not the person who feels, micromanaged, over-burdened, or like a peon.

To lead, set the vision, keep it in focus, and get behind your people. Leaders have followers. Make something worthy of following and then get in back. Thanks Lao Tzu.