Why People Follow…
Let me say this here for free because it is often heard in paid conferences and VIP/HNI consulting sessions.
People follow you because of something you said/wrote that resonates with them and they believe there is more they can benefit from to find what makes their heart sing.
The role of a creative leader is not to have all the ideas; it is to create a culture where everyone can have ideas and feel that they are valued. —Ken Robinson
Not everyone seeking a job wants the money but money is a great motivation for starters. What makes them keep the job is purpose. An engagement and progression that improves them and make them feel valued and appreciated.
This is the same reason people follow you and request to be your friend on social media.
If you have the clarity on mission and purpose for which your handle was setup, you won’t deviate under external pressure to something else other than your authentic self.
Just like this handle, you too can build a community/platform that gives a sense of inclusion in success. People want to be a part of your success and accomplishment as talked about globally. People want a vision to believe in, while being an intricate part of same. Magic happens when what they do online translates into an impact/influence in the larger society. #SelfActualization
People who adulterate, copy or try to run a parallel version of your vision in opposition are also fans, who may be fighting some darker demons than you and may not be able to accept the fact that someone else had it figured out before they did. Give such people time to heal. No hate necessary.
People want to go to bed each day knowing they are part of a moving train. Recall if you are in a flight, walking backwards on the plane still gets you to your destination. People need drivers, pilots and captains focused on purpose regardless of the idiosyncratic nature of the followers/passengers.
It is never about the giveaways. People may follow because of the occasional grants but what keeps them is the purpose, which outweighs all the money in Central Bank.
It is a game of TRUST. Most people don’t even trust themselves and often project this but this has nothing on you.
We all Tweet/Post for different reasons. For some, it is a place to exhale and for others, a place of business/connection. Generally we are all investing energy, while building goodwill. What matters most is our niche. What are you known for and how much do you care about your co-builders?
The followers are often forgotten while celebrating our milestones. We must continually value and appreciate their loyalty and continuous trust for this is the measure of the return on energy invested in building from zero to whatever number of followers you have now.
I have often expressed that no iota of my self esteem is tied to the external validation of any soul. This remains true but it is in no way a downplay of the role loyal followers play in my becoming. I may not have room to add more friends but will always appreciate and acknowledge your follow. You help spread the message as evangelists and. I value you more than you know.
Yes Tweeting/Posting views is personal regardless of the business we may do with it. It remains a game of superior arguments powered by trust. And for some of us using this platform to better society, it remains critical to carry everyone in our community along.
It doesn’t get any easier but we will no doubt get stronger!
…End of Celestial Admonition…
