People Don't Follow Titles: Necessity and Sufficiency in Leadership

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Legitimacy

One of the sufficient conditions of leadership is legitimacy. But titles do not confer legitimacy.

If your team, organization, or country doesn't view you as legitimate, you will have a tough time getting anything done.

Titles and trust

Title based leaders feel everyone will fall in line because of their title. They think they are leading because they are in charge.

But a necessary condition for leadership is trust, not a title. You have to earn trust.

Sufficient conditions

To be accepted as a leader, you have to prove yourself.

People will only follow you if they believe in you, and see that you are working for them. They need to know that your leadership will create something that will continue.

Conditions for leadership

There is a difference between the necessary conditions for leadership and sufficient ones.

For instance, in war, it is necessary to know the capabilities of your enemy and their positions, but it is not sufficient to win a battle.
Being in a position of leadership is necessary to lead an organization, but it is not sufficient to get people moving towards a common goal.