What It Takes to Start a Movement

Three leadership traits that inspire

Moses Draws Water from the Rock by Francois Perrier, 1642 (public domain - Wikimedia Commons)

“He will win whose army is animated by the same spirit throughout all its ranks.”
— Sun Tzu, 5th century BC

Moving people to action is more difficult than it seems.

Selling something tangible — a product, a widget, a thing — is fairly straightforward. People can see it in action, feel in their hands, and observe the difference it makes. You can craft a story around that and play a bit of show and tell.

But when you have to sell an idea or a vision? That takes more than getting people to pay attention.

You need to make them believe.

Belief is a powerful thing. If you can get someone to put faith in what you’re saying, such that they’ll turn away from what I call a pre-existing cognition, you’ll have won them over.

It’s what was required in the American Revolution, the French Revolution, and so many other uprisings when failure could have easily been proscribed. Instead, leaders marshaled their people behind them by going first, creating hope, and focusing on their people.

“Everyone's got to believe in something. I believe I'll have another beer.”
— W.C. Fields

What Leaders Do

Imagine if you were a person with a speech impediment and questionable self-esteem, and you were tasked with leading half a million people to their freedom. Do you think you’d be up to the task?

Moses certainly didn’t at first. He was a stammerer. And yet, in the book of Exodus, he was called upon to lead his people out of Egypt. What did he do?

He had quiet, reflective time and took notes. He shared his notes (on stone tablets) with his people, and he showed them the way.

Eventually, Moses delegated authority and shared this vision with his chiefs. But he always demonstrated leadership by being out front and participating, just as he was asking everyone else to do. Leaders go first.

Here are three things that leaders do to help their people.