Every true leader is able to rally a team of people around himself. Jesus gathered a team of twelve people around himself. He lived with them and fellowshipped with them for three and a half years. He gave them the job of reaching the ends of the world from Jerusalem. It has been more than 2000 years and the mandate Jesus gave to the people he rallied around him is still on. There was a man called Rezon who became a leader in his time. The Bible tells us that he gathered people unto himself.

…Rezon, the son of Eliadah which fled from his lord Hadadezer, king of Zobah: and HE GATHERED MEN UNTO HIM, AND BECAME CAPTAIN OVER A BAND…

1 Kings 11:23-24

How a Leader Rallies People around Himself

1. Make people feel that you really want them around you. When you transmit this feeling to people, they also grow to love being around you.

2. Appreciate the people around you.

Rejoice with the people around you over their little successes and breakthroughs. Their joy will increase when they feel there is another person rejoicing with them. Being around you and staying around you becomes something they long to do.

3. Genuinely admire people's choices of cars, houses, furniture and clothes.

Cars, houses and clothes represent people's choices and achievements. If you admire and respect people's choices and achievements, you are admiring them personally! They will naturally warm up to you!

4. Show people that you respect them, no matter who they are or what they have.

People will warm up to you once they know you respect them. In this world, many people are not respected. Generally speaking, black people are often not respected by white people. Some tribes are also despised and hated. People are looking for someone who genuinely respects them in spite of where they come from, who they are or how much money they have. Anyone who has this ability to respect people, no matter who they are, will have people rallying around him.

5. Be conscious of people who have inferiority complexes and treat them carefully. An inferiority complex makes a person vulnerable. If you pass the test of handling someone's inferiority complex well, you will win them over.

6. Never tease someone who does not like being teased.

There are some people who hate being teased. Often this is because of a complex they had from childhood. Sometimes, it is something they are embarrassed about. Take note of this and do not drive the person away from you when you need to bring the person near.

7. Call people by their names soon after you have met them.

No one likes to feel that he is a mere number. People will warm up to you when they realize that you know them by name. They will be even more touched if you call them by their pet names.

8. Show interest in people's personal lives.

Ask about their homes, jobs and schools. People need to feel that the leader has a genuine interest in their lives. When you show an interest in someone's personal life, the person senses your concern for their lives. It causes the person to warm up to you and makes him happily stay around you.

9. Show an interest in people's aspirations, visions and goals.

When you are only interested in your vision and goal, people will silently withdraw from you. Everyone has a goal or aim. No matter how insignificant the goal may seem to others, it is very important to the person. When they sense that you have an interest in their visions and in making them successful they will rally around you.

10. Offer food and drinks to visitors whenever you can.

When I was in the university I visited many people on campus. I always remember a particular lady. Whenever we would go to her room she would offer us something to eat. Many times she and her roommate shared their supper with us. This made her room a natural rallying point! If you want to be a natural rallying point, learn to offer food and drinks to visitors anytime you can!

11. Listen to people's problems.

Learn the art of listening rather than talking. When you allow people to talk about themselves, they psychologically feel that they are closer to you. This makes them rally around you.

Certainly, what a difference it would make if all leaders learned to rally people around them! Dear leader, decide to be a gathering point for people. Whatever is offensive in your personality and whatever scatters people must be dealt with, if you take leadership seriously. In doing that, you become a better person and you also become a leader. Learn how to speak without offending and scattering people. This will help you in your journey to become a good leader!

Culled from “The Art of Leadership”

www.daghewardmillsbooks.org

theaol@ymail.com

By Dag Heward-Mills