469 | How To Start Getting Others To Follow You

Brian A 0:00
What Every new and old leader needs to know or remember about what it really takes to get others to follow you that's coming up next.

Chris LoCurto 0:18
Welcome to the Chris LoCurto show where we discuss leadership and life and discover that business is what you do not who you are. Welcome to the show folks. Hope you're having a fabulous day wherever you are. We are again, we are joined by the fantastic Brian Alex who is joining me from Sicily psychedelia. Welcome, Brian, welcome to the show.

Brian A 0:44
Thank you. It's been a while. It's been a while back into the schedule. I mean, people really miss me That's That's exactly it. So much fan mail.

Chris LoCurto 0:55
Lots of it. The like they keep sending it. It's like Brian Alex in Sicily that's like, you know, more know where he is. Just keep sending it more. We are you have come up with a fantastic series that we're doing. And we've just been loving this. People have been loving this. So we're doing this series, this kind of bite sized, you know, hit this one topic, let's run with it. What is the what is the foundational thing you need to know? So take it away for today's episode.

Brian A 1:25
All right, so Yeah, another how to come at you here. I'm going to set up the context, just like we do. Try to balance it out. We'll go to break. And we'll come back with the question. And then it's it's all Chris, take it away, Chris. So here's the context, you've probably heard the phrase that you're not a leader if no one is following you. Right. So I guess that's true. I mean, however, we have a lot of so called leaders, thought leaders, or what have you on various platforms nowadays who have amassed quite the following, but impart very little actual value to other if I can say that oops, micro influence or influence or mega influence, everybody's trying to influence or lead. And so we talk so much about leadership around here that I wanted to take a step back for a second from all the principles and techniques and drill down into one of the most important concepts of all, what does it take to really get someone to start following me to begin with? Where does it start? How does it begin? And so, coming up next, being a true leader is more than just accruing some followers, isn't it? Right after this?

Joel Fortner 2:43
Hey, it's Joel Fortner. Here. I'm the Vice President of leadership development on Chris's team and I oversee our Next-Level Mastermind business coaching program. Most business owners and leaders lack a clear path to succeed in business. They question whether they're making the right decisions, if they're focusing on the right things to really grow their business. If this is you, you need a coach in your life. Coaches help you make better decisions, navigate uncertainty, lead more effectively, and grow your business without sacrificing your life and your family. In their first year, our clients typically see an average of 67% increase in gross revenue, and an average of 138% increase in net profit and regained hours of time. Our clients stay in the program for over three and a half years simply because of the results they get. So if you're ready to run your business at the next level, and see the growth you've been wanting, then visit Chrislocurto.com/mastermind. Again, Chrislocurto.com/mastermind today.

Brian A 3:44
All right. Welcome back, Chris. And so we're gonna jump in to our question, we set up the context before the break. Now let's get into the question. Folks are out there who want to get others to start following them maybe on their platform or in their business, whatever, and for their product or service. And so how do they get other people to start following them? That's the question for today.

Chris LoCurto 4:07
So yeah, there's so much here. Again, I love that these are sound bites, because these are such big questions, believe it or not, and I think it would actually be good to come back to you on this. Because you've followed me multiple times. You've worked for me at the beginning of this business. You came back again. And I don't I hate to even say the phrase follow you came, you came alongside of me in the very beginning, you and I started this business on on my back porch. We always say on my back porch with a couple of laptops and a bottle of wine. That's how this business started. Just planning this thing out of what it was going to look like and you know, trying to take in, you know, everything that we felt like God was showing us and obviously you've been a missionary for so many years. You came back for almost two years and then are consistently again. So the key that you brought something into the quest. So one of the things that you've heard me say before is if you think you're a leader turn around, if nobody's following you, then technically you're not only right.

Chris LoCurto 5:16
There's a world of difference in leading people. And as you pointed out, what people are trying to do have get followers, right? To be a media sensation, doesn't mean that I'm technically leading anybody. Right? I may have people who are following me, I may have people who appreciate the things that I'm doing teaching whatever. But if I'm not technically leading them to a place that I want to get them to. And that means that I'm a part of this process, that again, I'm not leading, I follow people. I don't do a whole lot of social media. But I do follow people, right? And why? Because I'm looking to gain knowledge. I'm looking to gain information. Hopefully, I can gain some wisdom in there. So there are people that I, as I do my air quotes follow. But they're not my leaders, right? They're not leading me, they may be leading me to a piece of information. To get foundational on what it means to lead people, it means that you're helping somebody get somewhere that they wouldn't normally get to. If they could get there on their own, then what do they need you for? Right? If they can get to their that place that they can do whatever they need to do? What do they need you for? So the first key foundational piece is you have to actually have some level of knowledge, wisdom, ability to lead somebody somewhere doesn't mean that you have to be perfect doesn't mean you have to know everything.

Chris LoCurto 10:13
Whenever leading is about me, the leader, it's definitely not about the person I'm trying to lead. I cannot lead somebody to a successful place. If it's, if I'm focused on me, I have to be able to get out of me, put me aside, stop being self centered, self focused, and focus on the person that I'm leading, and help them to get to that success. I've got to be able to pull me away and go, What does this person need? What? What help do they need? What tools do they need? What lessons do they need? What partnerships do they need? What resources what is everything that this person needs? What push do they need? What correction do they need? I need to be able to get me out of the way. Look at them as objectively as I possibly can. And I know that's very difficult, and then set them up for success. And when they push and they struggle, and a lot of times what is the person who's being led into an uncomfortable place to push back accused become victims, you know, attack, there's all kinds of negative sides that can come from leading people to a successful place as well. I have to be in that place of being able to say, that's okay, that's not about you. Unless I'm doing I always ask myself first, Am I doing something wrong? Am I hurting this person? Have I done something that was not right, whatever it was, check me first. And if the answer is Nope, it's not me. Okay, then is this person struggling with how, you know, the how the conflict, how contentious it is, whatever it is, on that person's level. So foundationally, I must understand that leadership is getting somebody someplace where they wouldn't normally go. And it better be in a benefit, play, you know, beneficial place, hopefully, in a god beneficial place. And the second thing is, if I have that information that I have to understand, whenever it's about me, it will never be about making that person greatly successful.

Brian A 12:10
Yep, yep. Fantastic. Now, all of that points to something right underneath the surface. You know, Teddy Roosevelt, 100 years ago said nobody cares how much you know, until they know how much you care. And then Robert McNamara, I love this, quote, former business executive and US Secretary of Defense says "brains are like hearts, they go where they are appreciated". And so people tend to follow those whom they believe, have their best interest at heart. And I think that's one reason people come back around so much as clients here, because they see the heart underneath the surface. It's not just about getting them to a better place. It's really because you love and you care about people. And I think if people want to start getting others to follow, they've got to cultivate that heart for other people.

Chris LoCurto 13:02
Yeah, absolutely. So the question to you without blown, you know, any sunshine, why have you again, so that people can hear the people so people, people,

Brian A 13:17
let the masses hear the message?

Chris LoCurto 13:21
What was compelling for you to come alongside me to make this thing start?

Brian A 13:28
Well, you know, it is a lot about people people go, just like I said, Where, where they feel like people have their best interests at heart and something that you've done, you know, we've known each other Chris over who over 20 years now. Yeah, and I know, that's a long time.

Chris LoCurto 13:44
You're old. I was a young pup.

Brian A 13:52
But you know, in that time, what I can say is that you have consistently had my best interest at heart and you know, that that brings people back around that brings all the boys to the yard that brings people back around. Because because they know, they know, you know, this, this person is not going to manipulate or try to use me, you know, and they're, they're genuinely looking out for my best interest. And I think that's so rare in the industry of leadership today, and I think that's a great place to start is cultivating what we talked about at the point main group, the, the pastoring, the shepherding that happens we were cultivating, you know, we're nourishing, we're caring, we're leading people to a greater perspective. Why? Because we love people. We love people. And I think that shines and it comes through and everything. Hopefully it comes through in everything that we do.

Chris LoCurto 14:48
That was a really good answer. I was like, Man, this could go anywhere. I don't know where this is.

Brian A 14:52
You don't know You don't know. Oh, well folks, I hope this is how help you today and as always take this information change your leadership change your business change your life and join us on the next episode.