The Law of Connection. Leaders touch a heart before they ask for a hand. You can’t move people to action unless you first move them with emotion. The heart comes before the head. The stronger the relationship and connection between individuals, the more likely the follower will want to help the leader. To connect with people in a group, relate to them as individuals. It’s one thing to communicate to people because you believe you have something of value to say. It’s another to communicate with people because you believe they have value. It’s the leader’s job to initiate connection with the people. It may sound corny, but it’s really true: people don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.

This concerns belief systems, faith systems, follower systems, and management techniques that leaders employ to cultivate and then motivate likeminded individuals. There are exponentially more followers out there than qualified leaders in this world. I used the word “qualified” deliberately because many a charismatic fanatic moved the masses to do terrible things. One such example that comes to my mind is the Roman Emperor Constantine. A subject that you might find interesting in one of my favorite books called “Constantine’s Sword” by James Carroll. I’ll offer another fine example in Osama bin Laden. Bin Laden’s jihad concept, which completely perverts the actual meaning of the word which by definition, actually defines how uses of force are always subject to restraint and qualification. Fanatic jihadists’ on the contrary, believe that its pursuit should be by any means necessary, including dissimulation, civil coercion, and the killing of innocents.

I think the key element is in education, illumination, and enlightenment. If a reasonably educated Muslim had Osama Bin Laden on their doorstep pitching jihadist snake-oil, they would politely tell him that the “No solicitors” sign applied also to religious fanatics and to “Get off my lawn.” On the same note, ignorance will always follow the strongest local personality, even at their own peril.

Again, look before you leap!