Everyone wants to be a leader. Yet few people understand that to be a good leader, you first, need to be a good follower. Being a good follower doesn’t mean following every instruction with blind loyalty. Today, followers are more indulged. They sensibly choose whom they follow. Being a good follower is a skill in itself, it doesn’t come naturally.
A good leader is a good follower! you need to be a good follower before becoming a good leader.
Leaders are not meant to be high ranking by their followers and as such followers are not meant to be inferior to their leaders. As a good leader, you should respect every team member and your followers.
If you need to be a good leader you must be a good follower before.
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Followership is a major skill in good Leadership
The truth is that leadership, however, inspired or effective is but part of the whole. The other side of the coin is good followership. And as a follower, you get to know about leadership skills and how leaders work. There is no automatic placeholder for a follower and a leader. Both have to work together to achieve organizational goals. None of them can achieve anything significant without the corporation of another person.
Leader’s Tip
Leaders should be humble, understanding the importance of listening to others and considering their ideas and feedback.
The best followers make the best leaders
The reason why the best followers will always emerge as the best leaders is that they consider their follower’s thoughts, ideas and talents. For these leaders, each contribution made by any member of their team and employees is valued. They don’t push employees for questioning and challenge them. Rather they see it as being accountable to people which makes them a better leader. Good followers can view other leaders in their way and this helps them to know what to do when they eventually become a leader in any team.
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Communication is another factor of a good leader
Being a follower before a leader is important as it brings out this skill quite naturally. As you work with diverse personalities, it acts as automatic training for your communication style and also teaches you to effectively share your ideas and opinion with team members. Experience in teamwork will also help you to handle the trickiest situations easily.
Honesty and Courage
Avoiding lies and casual cowardice is often seen as a secondary quality of being a competent employee. Upon paying closer attention one can see that these are primary qualities of both a good follower and a good leader. A combination of kind of bravery, honesty and respect is necessary for any leader. The process of an open channel of communication helps the entire team to stay on the same page and grow continuously. This is why good followers turn into good leaders.
To be a good leader is to be a good follower because in the assembly of leaders someone has to lead the pack — Segun Rasaki
Loyalty and Commitment
A cause, goal and value without committed followers is an abstract concept. One of the most important qualities discovered among good players is the ability to commit to a plan and stay loyal to it. The natural path of transformation from a follower to a leader can teach you how to stay committed and ignore temporary goals. Today’s leadership style concentrates more on committing to long-term goals for both the team and organization.
Leader’s Tip
Focus on building solid connections: Create an atmosphere of mutual trust and respect by listening carefully and talking to others.
FAQs
Are you a leader or follower?
Think of yourself as both leaders as well followers and approach each situation differently. E.g. think that as a leader I can express my words or communicate in a better way. And as a follower, I can respond positively and enjoy following the lead of others who may be a better fit. And also look at your past experiences and decide whether you are a follower or a leader. What skills do you have, and what qualities do you have? Also, consider them while deciding.
Why a good leader is a good follower?
The truth is that leadership, however, inspired or effective is but part of the whole. The other side of the coin is good followership. And as a follower, you get to know about leadership skills and how leaders work. There is no automatic placeholder for a follower and a leader. Both have to work together to achieve organizational goals. None of them can achieve anything significant without the corporation of another person.
Key Takeaways
- Great leaders know that being a good follower is just as important as being a good leader.
- Being a good follower helps leaders develop themselves and the team as a whole by exposing them to new ideas and perspectives.
- When leaders strike a balance between leading and being led, they foster an environment where everyone is committed to learning and growing together.