People are not led by plans and analysis. Rather, they are led by this trinity of other things. And the truly effective leader focuses virtually all his actions on creating them – using different skills for each element of the trinity:

1. The Vision is a positive image of what the organisation could become, and the path towards that destination. To create a shared vision, the leader is always hungry for novel ideas that fit with the organisation’s strategy, and is smart enough to spot good ones. But crucially, he is also artistic enough to fashion those ideas into images and stories that are intriguing, meaningful and realisable.
2. Inspiration, within the individuals that comprise the organisation, is what moves people to action. The leader uses his interpersonal skills to excite his people, and helps them to see how they may themselves benefit from both the journey and the arrival. He helps them to see "the word made flesh"
3. Momentum, of the organisation’s projects and initiatives, is what carries the organisation to its destination. Using his own energy and problem-solving skills, the leader keeps the mission on course.

It is on all three of these dimensions that true leaders deliver strongly. The Visionary is not a leader if he cannot also Inspire. The Momentum-sustainer is not a leader if he cannot create a shared Vision.

So, for small teams as well as for large corporations:

Leadership = Vision x Inspiration x Momentum

Of this trinity, it is the leader’s ability to create a shared vision and to inspire the organisation that most sets him apart from the ‘manager’, as we shall see.