Have you begun to realize that people follow courage and initiative more than a formal title? Surely, a title helps, but what would your followers do if you were to find yourself suddenly without it? But how are you going to break past this barrier and become a leader whom people will follow because they want to? If you are interested in knowing what it is going to take to become this kind of leader than you are already off to a good start, here are some techniques which you must master:

First, focus on what you are responsible for more than what your privileges are. Leadership is not a position of privilege as much as it is of responsibility. Even leaders, who 'know' this, do not always make it and active part of their leadership process. However, it is not what we know or what we think or what we think we know that gets results. It's the knowledge which we act upon. Take some time to make a note of your privileges and make a decision to set them aside until you have ample time to master your responsibilities.

Second, ask yourself if you are focused on your privileges or on your responsibilities. This is something which many leaders are aware of intellectually but are not putting into practice with their actions. The less your actions reflect your true convictions as a leader, the more you lose trust with your team and more important with yourself. Make it a point to forfeit any privileges which you may have as a leader until you have built a solid commitment to your responsibilities. This will realign your personal priorities and perceptions to match your goals as a leader and set the right example for your team.

Third, cultivate the characteristics of a leader and forget about your position. True, your position provides you with access to resources which you need to get the job done. But it can also be a hindrance if you are less focused on becoming a leader. When it comes to that, it is a process which requires continued devotion in order to be a great leader.

Chances are that you can think of at least one thing which you can begin to do today to empower your team. The only thing stopping you may be the complacency of leaning on your title. Set that aside and focus on leading by example. This will not happen overnight, or even within a few days or weeks. Instead, view the cultivating of these principles as a process which is focused more on direction than perfection. This will require personal sacrifice to learn these principles by making them a cornerstone of your own behavior. People learn to repeat what they hear in words, but if you want them to repeat in actions they have to view these principles in action. This means that as a leader you are the model which provides them with the guidance and the structure to make these principles.