The 108 Skills of Natural Born Leaders

Chapter 11. Create a Motivating Environment

Be to each other like water. It brings nourishment to all it touches.

—Lao-tzu

Master leaders gain willing followers within a larger context. Factors such as the organizational direction, goals, culture, and roles affect motivation. The quality of communication, decision making, feedback, and degree of conflict impact people's willingness to support the leader. Ever-increasing levels of diversity demand that leaders direct their efforts to consider context when trying to influence others. The best leaders create an overall environment that will support their effort to gain followers. They ask, "What systems and structures affect the people I want to influence to follow my direction?"

Many of the skills ...