Leading by Example

"No man is good enough to govern another man without that other's consent."

~Abraham Lincoln

This comic is a pretty big example of how if people do not believe in you then they will never consider you a leader.  You can say anything you want to others. That you climbed Mt. Everest, held council with the commanders of the Army and Navy, or even that you owned a Ferrari. Without proof however, no one worth convincing will believe you. It's the same way with leadership. 

If you want people to trust you and follow you as a leader, then you have to prove to them that you want what's in their best interest. You can't just tell them that you advocated for them and expect them to believe it. You must work with them to understand what they want and then  show them your ideas for how to accomplish it. In the same way you cannot just expect people to see you as a leader because you tell them you are one. Instead you must prove to them through your actions that you are capable to be a leader. Therefore leading through example is the only way to lead.