Do people listen to you?

E.F. Hutton was America’s most influential stock market analyst.  He was a leader.  As with all true leaders, people listened when he spoke.  The advertising around the name also helped to make the name more wide known but the concept is still accurate.   People listen because the leader has earned the respect and credibility from those listening.  Margaret Thatcher is quoted as saying, “Being powerful is like being a lady – if you have to tell people you are, you aren’t.”  That is true of leaders.  If you need to tell people you are a leader, then you are not one.  In some of my earlier blogs about leadership, I discuss influence and leaders.  True influence is people listening and then following your vision.  However, this leadership is not earned overnight.   John Maxwell lays out the essential steps on leadership in his book The 5 Levels of Leadership.  The first step is Position.  This step is one that many people have.  You are only the leader due to the position you hold.  People have to follow you or get fired.  True leadership is having the people follow you even when they aren’t required to follow.  They listen because they know you are worth listening to and seek out your input.  So where are you on the listening scale?  Who listens to you and who do you listen to?