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Leading the Blind

Before a death diverted my thoughts, I was planning to write about movements and leaders. I did not want to comment further on either side of the Lokpal debate, but it did get me thinking about how the drive had started in the first place, and why a man without any particular credentials can make us part of his crusade

About movements, leadership and what forms them.

A couple of weeks ago I came across two TED videos that seemed particularly relevant. In the first, Derek Sivers talks about how movements get started

The Anna story brought this to mind. A relatively ordinary, obscure man from well outside the centre of events; he probably started by dancing to his own tune, just on his own. He probably did not start with thoughts of followers or movements. Somewhere down the line, he got his first follower – maybe Arvind Kejriwal - and eventually a movement formed.

I found this rather personally interesting too. Of course, I have no intention of starting any movement that leads to fasting, but movements are not just of the political kind. When someone plucks you and puts you into a CXO slot, suddenly the ability to start a movement, to get your reportees to become your followers becomes an important skill. Two lessons – dance to your own tune, and treat your first follower as an equal.

So the question is, how do you get your first follower? Another TED video to the rescue; here Simon Sinek talks about why people buy into ideas.

The video talks about highly qualified Samuel Langley and the how the hicktown bicycle mechanic Wright Brothers beat him to it. Anna is a good parallel – what should be a job for politician looking to be elected finds far more success by an obstinate old man with no resume. People probably started following Anna because his why was distinct and believable. Its not surprising that people on the periphery are not quite sure of the exact whats and the hows – they're just attracted to Anna's convictions. Not dissimilar, it strikes me, to a person buying an iPhone; most people will never know what retina display really means or be able to give a reasoned technical comparison against (say) a Nokia.

Back to CXO. I must admit I find myself fairly clueless at times about leading a team. My leadership position is driven by designation – it makes me question what conviction I bring to it, and what people who finally aggregate around me see as the why.

Because, you see, like many swords, this one is two-edged too. Movements will happen, and followers we will get – they just may not be the kind we expect unless we know why we lead.

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