“You can have everything in life that you want if you just give enough other people what they want.” Zig Ziglar

It’s no secret the world is in a protracted economic crisis caused by many different and competing factors–and it may be awhile before recovery really takes hold. It’s enough to make people lose faith in just about anything. But Rob Goffee, author, Professor of Organizational Behavior at London Business School and former Director of Human Resources for the BBC, argues that if we lose faith in our leaders, we stand to lose everything. Great businesses, he insists, led by great people will bring our current difficulties to an end.

The very definition of leadership, according to Goffee, is the ability to excite people to exceptional performance. What’s more, people want exceptional performance everywhere–our schools, our hospitals, our local businesses, even our sports teams! Goffee and his students asked over 1,000 people what they wanted from leaders in these tough times and they arrived at four things, listed here in order of importance:

Community. People want to belong to something. Being part of a team is highly motivating.

Authenticity. People want to be led by a real person they can trust. We know instinctively when leaders are only in it for themselves. Performance is always the first thing to suffer and if demoralization sets in, there may be dire consequences to the entire organization.

Significance. People want to be recognized for their part in the contribution to the whole. We want to have meaning but, again, not just bring home a paycheck. Individual recognition is one of the most critical functions a leader must fulfill regularly.

Excitement. Leaders, from local business owners to CEO’s, have the ability to transform organizations and enrich lives. If leaders are not excited about what they are doing, you can be sure the employees are dragging quietly behind them.

Effective leadership is an authentic, skillful role performance. It requires lots of action, and it’s always difficult, but it’s always worth it. Try it with those who follow you and share these tips with your clients and colleagues!