The Law of Connection Education How Leaders Connect

The Law of Connection Education

How Leaders Connect: � Followers follow leaders when: › They feel emotionally connected with leaders › They consider leaders to be one of them › They consider leaders to be sincere � Leaders are admired when: › They acknowledge followers on individual basis › They come across as confident and assuring › They are truthful and honest

Keys to Effective Communication � Be confident › � Be Open and Sincere › � Followers can sense it when leaders don’t mean what they say or not honest Know your audience › › � Followers won’t follow the leader who doesn’t come across as self-assuring Leaders can communicate effectively only when they know the characteristics of their audience Knowing the audience helps the leaders customize message to suit audience needs Prove with actions › A leader comes across as credible when his actions and words do not contradict each other

Keys to Effective Communication (Cont. ) � Adapt to audience › › � Focus on followers, not self › › � By focusing on the followers, a leader builds rapport People are more likely to listen when leaders take interest in them Believe in followers › � Followers follow leaders who understand them and come across as one of their own Humility makes a leader more likeable In order to motivate followers, leaders have to show confidence in followers’ potential Give hope and guide › It’s leaders job to give hope to followers and keep them optimistic about the future

The Power of Connection � The more difficult the task, the greater the need for connection › � Difficult tasks require going beyond the minimum required efforts. Followers will only do that if they believe in their leader Great Leaders understood the importance of connection › › General Douglas Mac. Arthur displayed blind faith in the ability of battalion commanders to achieve the goals Napoleon new all of his officers by name as well as other important details about them Robert E. Lee would visit his men at their campsites, the night before a major war General Norman Schwarzkopf met every single person in the dining hall on the Christmas day in 1990

Benefits of Connection Employees are loyal and display strong work ethics � Leader’s vision is wholeheartedly embraced by the followers � Followers enjoy coming to work � Everyone lives the company’s culture � They aspire to imitate leader’s traits �