So Mike,  let’s tell the rest of what I said. “It is misguided to believe that we can manage people.  We can manage things, but not people. People don’t want to be managed, in fact, people hate to be managed.  People want to be led.”

Now, granted, there are two types of leaders - controlling leaders and empowering leaders.  Controlling leaders are basically manipulative, don’t trust people, and in leadership positions for their own gain.  Empowering leaders, those you refer to as character-based leaders, trust and believe in people and want to inspire and empower those under their leadership to grow and become the best they can be.  It is up to empowering leaders to cast the vision and rally people behind the vision by showing them what they have to gain personally and professionally in achieving the vision.

The best leaders develop their leadership skills. ALL of us have leadership ability that needs to be developed. We need leaders in every aspect of life and in every profession.  We cannot each lead in every aspect of our lives, so no, there is no chance that if we all lead we will no longer have followers.

In fact, we all need to lead where we can based on our talents, skills, experience &amp; education, and we all need to follow where we cannot or choose not to lead.  I won’t ever be a pastor, so I look to my pastor.  I won’t ever be a doctor, an elected official, a superintendent, etc. so I look to others for that and take their lead.  I am a follower in many areas of my life, but I lead my life, I lead my family along with my husband and I lead my company.

And don’t even try to manage me - but cast a vision for me to participate in and grow from and I will follow.

Back atcha Mike.  Thanks for the conversation.
Cynthia Stewart, EverMore Services