Elements of Influence

PREFACE

I have been studying leadership for the better part of my professional life, and I’ve become convinced that leadership—true leadership, authentic leadership—is never an act of control, coercion, or dominance. Leadership arises from the core of who a leader is. It’s an act of influence. Authentic leaders do not seek to compel; they seek to inspire. They do not impose their will on others; rather, they live according to core beliefs and principles that attract others; they initiate change because they envision a better way, and others follow that path because they believe it is a better way.

To be sure, countless people have masqueraded as leaders: Adolf Hitler, Joseph Stalin, Mao Zedong, Benito Mussolini, Idi Amin, Samuel Doe, Pol Pot, ...