While talking with one of my mentors, Steve Elliot last week, we were discussing the characteristics and qualities of great speakers. Steve made the comment, “Great speakers hook you early.”
It got me to start thinking about how the same applies to leaders. If you’ve met great leaders you know that they hook you early. There are four characteristics that leaders have which hook you early
1. They hook you with their vision
It’s their vision for what they want to create and build in the world that hook you early. They present their vision as something that you can’t do, but they offer their vision as a way for you to be part of something bigger and better than anything you could do on your own.
2. They hook you with their passion
It’s their passion for that vision that hook you early. They’re so passionate about what they want to do, that you can’t help but wonder if you’re missing out on something special if you’re not part of their vision.
3. They hook you with their goals
It’s their goals for their life that hook you early. Their goals are so large that you know they can’t achieve them on their own, and the leader’s passion and vision for those goals makes you want to help the leader achieve them.
4. They hook you with their work ethic
It’s their work ethic to move towards those goals that hook you early. That work ethic inspires you to work hard and help them in their journey.
A leader hooks people early. Whether it’s during a one-to-one conversation over a soda, in a fifteen minute presentation to a group, or a brief encounter at a meeting; leaders hook you early.
