"A good leader should not guide his/her followers, but should inspire them". Do you agree?

[Sushan Ekanayake]

I think it's also basically true that a leader should know what his/her followers need. Whether it's guidance, inspiration or both, a leader should be prepared to provide it to make sure the followers reach the provided goal. It honestly differs with each.

I agree. The leader should understand the status of the team. If he see that they are unaware of or pretty much in ambiguity about their path and the goal, then he should explain them the intended path and show them the intended goal. That will be direction.

But if the team is tired and is unwilling to go forward, though they no their time frame and the target, then the leader has to inspire them to keep up and tread along. It is up to the leader to understand which is needed when. But first of all, the team has to be guided well.

[Sushan Ekanayake]

"Even looking at our expert leader, Jesus, whose Word is life, we can see this lesson lived out. Jesus is not merely an itinerant preacher who directs our steps. He is a soul-stirrer who invites us to walk with Him. If our master, Jesus, leads us by walking with us and stirring us to discover, then these earthly leaders must learn to come alongside and help others discover their own best answers."
(Chapter 2, Page 9)

Most often we compare how a boss will treat his subordinates and how a leader will treat his followers. Upto now I had the idea that a leader should guide his/her followers. But this author has given leadership a new meaning claiming that it is not the leader's job to show the path and guide his/her followers towards a specific goal, but to inspire them to find their own answers and be their own guidance.

Do you agree with this 'job description' of a leader? If a leader is guiding his/her followers, will it make he/she a 'not so good' leader?

Well, I don't think I agree. Not in this context anyway. And also Jesus was the wrongest example to cite for asserting inspiration over guidance. Jesus did a lot of guiding in the Bible. He literally worked with his people, and discipled them in ministry. Most of this disciples learned by watching him do. And when he ascended, he basically left with an injunction that his followers SHOULD DO WHAT THEY HAVE SEEN HIM DO. I will agree that people's circumstances are different, so what a leader can do is provide not just inspiration, but guidance in form of principles, and more. The people he leads can then make decisions for their unique situations but all based on the cornerstone principles of the leader. If ALL a leader does is inspire by talking, such a person isn't a leader; he's a motivational speaker. That's what I think anyway.

Well said. The Jesus did not only inspire his followers but guided them as well. It is true that he left a long lasting inspiration, and that is why people are following his path even he is there no more to guide people directly. I think the author has used not so valid example.

If a leader can set a set of firm principles and let the team to know them very well, that will be a guiding as well as an inspiration for them to follow on, and that will make that leader a good leader and that team a good team.

[Sushan Ekanayake]

Well, as an open-minded person, I like to look at an argument from the angle of the facts that back them up. Guiding and inspiring isn't an either/or concept. A leader should do both. As much as I see the author's point in this, I really don't agree that the place of guidance should be discarded. It will be like throwing away the baby with the bath water.

Exactly. Guiding should be the beginning in leading a team. No leader can exclude that or replace it with inspiration. But if a leader choose to guide without inspiration, his effects will only short last because the team might loose interest too soon. So I agree that a leader should do both.

[ROSEY-ANN]

I think a good leader provides both inspiration and guidance (and guidance doesn't not equate to control). A leader also instructs. A mentor on the other hand, may provide only inspiration.

A leader is a mentor and a mentor too can be a leader. The difference between the two is that a leader will give specific guidance while a mentor will show the various paths with their pros and cons and let the listener to choose on his own. A leader have to be a mentor at times. He have to listen to his followers issues and show them the paths to settle them. But he cannot be a mentor alone and wait till his followers come to him with their problems asking for guidance. It is the job of a leader to monitor his followers, identify when they are in need of guidance and provide it as necessary.

A leader can be a mentor indeed and the kind of kind each provides may be similar at times. To me a mentor is there to inspire not necessarily there to lead (guide). A mentor expect at some point that the mentee takes on a leadership role by choosing their own path and succeeding at it.

[Bookreviewer71]

A good leader should only inspire his or her followers. The idea of directing the followers indicates the denial of agency. If a leader lives by example, it will automatically inspire the followers to make the right choices on their own. People should visualize themselves as future leaders, which is only possible if they can look past their herd mentality.

[Sam Lauren]

I think it's semantics arguement. A leader should guide- but guiding should not mean telling them what to do or what goals to have. Jesus had guides, like a moral code. He gave advice. These are all guidance-- but they still leave an option for free choice.

[ROSEY-ANN]

A good leader should only inspire his or her followers. The idea of directing the followers indicates the denial of agency. If a leader lives by example, it will automatically inspire the followers to make the right choices on their own. People should visualize themselves as future leaders, which is only possible if they can look past their herd mentality.

Understood. Agree somewhat. In many instances there are certain objectives that need to be accomplished in which case the outcome is certain in these instances the leader may in the interest of time give a specific directive (direction) .All leader face this at some point face this. For example Jesus did give his disciples certain directives to be followed in his absence. Peter was given a specific directive and his disciples were told to wait at Jerusalem.

[Sushan Ekanayake]

As many people have indicated, I believe a good leader both inspires and guides. The motivation to continue comes from the inspiration. Without guidance on the how to, some people are lost. However, if you try to guide without inspiring, you may run into people who don't want to hear it. Our hearts are more open to instruction when we are inspired and when we feel that the person giving the guidance cares about us.

That is true. A leader should always keep in mind that he is working with humans, and humans tend to loose interest in one subject unless they have something to really hold on to. Some tasks are done by people just because they have to. In such an occasion mere guiding by a leader can quickly become a nuisance to his followers. That is the place where inspiration has to play its role and keep the team spirit up.

[Sushan Ekanayake]

No. Among the tasks of a leader is to guide his followers. Whatever he does for his followers will eventually inspire them to emulate him and represent him through their collective actions and behavior.

Inspiration is something a leader will do without any intention if he is a good leader. Anyone can learn or teach how to guide someone, but no one can teach someone how to inspire. It cannot be given a single definition either. The only thing we can see is the result, 'inspiration'. So, yes, what a leader will do will inspire his followers and among those things guiding is there too.

[Sushan Ekanayake]

The best way to guide or lead people is to inspire them by showing good examples.
As a leader, you are not expected to lead by mere words alone but by actions. People get inspired when they see positive results. For instance, a financial motivational speaker that is rich will surely have more audience than the one who is broke. People tends to follow a leader that inspires them positively rather than one guides them without inspiring them positively.

Well said. People love to see results. And that is why many are afraid to take the 'leap of faith' into something new. Though a leader can guide and show his followers the void, no one will go there unless they feel compelled to do that. If a leader can go there and show it by example, there is a high chance to many of his followers to go after him. And that is a sort of inspiration.

[leaana]

I do not agree with this 'job description' of a leader. I think that a leader should be an inspiration for his team, a job title doesn t make the leader being actually useful and inspirational for the team. As a leader I think that you need to have the ability to reach great heights of performance and to demonstrate the qualities employees will follow by choice

[Jasleen Chadha]

No true. A leader must always guide the path but not force others to follow it. If they get inspired in the way, they will follow the leader and stay true to their path.

[Sushan Ekanayake]

A good leader should not only provide guidance to his/her followers, but also inspire them, and act as a mentor, helper and coach at the same time. A good leader should also create leaders from among his/her followers, who can be ready to take the responsibility in the future or in absence of him/her.

I agree. The followers who are following a good leader will definitely learn leadership qualities from him and one day will emerge as the new leaders. But making leaders is not a primary task of a leader, and that is impractical in short term group work. So, yes, a leader should play multiple roles as a guide, an inspirer, a mentor, a coach, etc. But I think his primary role should be to act as a guide.

[Sushan Ekanayake]

I think it's definitely fair to say that leaders should inspire their followers. However, even Jesus himself offered guidance to his followers through the words of his parables. I think that good leaders need aspects of both in order to be successful.

I go along with you. And more, the essence of the leader is to guide and help people achieve a goal. After all, the inspiration may arise from the way he way the leader leads...

A leader can guide his team in an inspirational way. Or he can choose to guide them just as a guide. It is up to the leader to choose whether he want to do it the hard way or not. Guiding with inspiration is not easy. Just giving instruction is much more simple. But if he inspires them, cheers them and keep up the team spirit, the team mates will be close to the leader and will be willing to go along the path with him rather than following a mere guide. Inspiring along with guiding is difficult, but it is efficient.

[Sushan Ekanayake]

I believe that among other things, a leader should absolutely inspire their followers; however, I also believe that a learner should be a role model, and someone to provide guidance to those who need it; not just their followers.

So, is guidance not absolutely necessary? I don't think so. A leader's main job is to guide his team. Inspiration can be done by anyone who does not have a leadership role. A leader too can do that. But how can a leader only inspire his team without leading them. And that leading includes guiding at the top of the list.