There is a swarm of components and traits that effectively propels someone into a leadership role:

• An understanding of goals
• The ability to maneuver multiple parts at once
• An inherent sense of the “big picture” ambitions that need to be accomplished

But what truly makes great leaders is not necessarily restricted to their personal set of skills, but how they use these skills to influence and inspire the people around them. The common denominator is passion.

What Does Passion Have to Do with Leadership?

The concept of being passionate – knowing that you will do everything you can to ensure the people around you are taken care of in the name of a cause is the underlying driver of leadership success.

It’s a trait you’re already familiar with. You already feel a sense of passionate leadership for your family and your nearest and dearest, and you’ll do everything in your power to ensure they will be successful, right?

Now just think how much you can accomplish if you transfer this feeling of concern, ownership, and dedication to your team.  

What We Can Learn from History

Consider great leaders like William Wallace or Sir Winston Churchill. The reason why they were successful isn’t just because they had lofty and noble goals – which, of course, they did. It was because they worked side-by-side with the people they led. As a result, they commanded loyalty, respect, and a unifying chorus of people who were as passionate about the cause as they were.

“I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat.” – Winston Churchill

As Sir Winston stated, these leaders shared blood, sweat and tears with the people around them. This fueled a contagious spirit of achievement as people recognized their leaders’ commitment to the lives of their team.

In fact, if you ever make it across the pond to London, you can still view the blackboard at the Winston Churchill Museum where Churchill and his team regularly kept track of casualties during the war – an inspiring peek at how Churchill’s top concern, his people, dictated how he led the Allied Forces to victory.

What This Means for You

Now on the home front, you’re obviously not going to war, but this same concept of passion for your people is what will take your team to the next level.

You know that you already have this trait. You care about your loved ones, and you have genuine concern for the people you lead. The next step is making sure your concern and passion are crystal clear to your team members.

Here’s how:

Be transparent

Let them know your goals and why they’re important for the success of your team or your company. If your team understands the importance of a project or goals, they’ll feel motivated to help you achieve them.

Invest in your people

Are certain team members falling behind or lacking a skill required to get the job done? Time to start training! Whether it’s a class or seminar at a local conference or community college, or just a little mentoring from you or someone else who can help, a little education goes a long way in ensuring everyone is prepared to achieve their best.

Listen, Hear, and Trust

Ask questions. Listen to the answers. And change the game plan as needed. By putting the cause into your team’s hands, they’ll have a vested interest in moving forward and accomplishing their goals — which are ultimately your goals.

There’s a reason why your boss put you in charge of your team — your ability to lead people is already inherent and at your fingertips.

Keep the concerns of your team or staff at the forefront. When combined with your other amazing capabilities, you’re already on your way to being the legendary leader that everyone is glad to follow.

If you liked this post, learn more about how to become the leader you were meant to be from my book, WINology – World Class Performance!

What do you think makes a great leader? Let us know in the comments section below!

Image quote attribution: Winston Churchill