Great Followers Make The Best Leaders
This is a guest post by Mark Wagner. If you're interested in getting in front of the readers here, check out our guest posting invitation here.
To be a great leader, you first need to be a great follower.
Wait. What? That seems counter-intuitive.
John F. Kennedy’s speech at the Trade Mart in Dallas on November 22, 1963 included the thought “Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other.” Though he was never able to make that speech, I think that we can all learn something from it. There is so much power and insight in that one short sentence.
Why Become a Great Follower?
A teacher is always a student of those she teaches, and a leader must follow their followers. Unless you really know the people you are trying to lead, you will never be able to lead them successfully.If you ask someone what their biggest complaint related to work is, they will usually (in my experience) tell you that either (a) their boss does not understand what is going on, or (b) their boss does not do any work.
Why do they have that perception? The answer is probably that (a) their boss does not tell them that they understand what is going on, or (b) their boss does not talk to their employees about what is happening in their organization. Bottom line – the boss (leader) is disconnected from the workers (followers).
In the early 1990s a Sony sound lab employee, Ken Kutaragi , decided to work on a new digital chip that would improve the Nintendo gaming system. Sony almost fired him for it. But, this was before Sony was making gaming systems and one of the executives decided to keep him on and to follow his vision. The result? Sony’s Computer Entertainment division was founded by Kutaragi and is still a key source of profit for Sony today.
How To Become a Great Follower
If your intention is to influence people to perform better than they would without you, then you will need to listen to them. That is it. That is the secret.
You should know what they want from their job, and what they want from you. If you do not know the answer to these questions, then you will not ever be able to motivate these individuals to do anything other than follow directions.
The hard part is to know who amongst your followers is reliable and knows what they are talking about, and who does not. This is a skill that is learned over time, and each of your followers will be different. Go slowly and try to really understand your followers’ motivations.
What You Don’t Want May Be What You Need
I used to work with a very smart person who said “just tell me what to do and I will do it.” That is what you don’t want, but that is not all that you don’t want. Truly leading people is hard, and that is why so many managers end up just passing out to do lists. The truth is that the person who said this did not even perform as much work as was asked of him by the manager.
The manager did ask for specific tasks to be performed (e.g., he provided to do lists), so was it really the manager’s fault if their staff was not doing what they were told to? Were his employees just bad?
This particular person moved to another job and flourished. Would you perform better if you worked for someone else? If so, what are the things that your manager does that causes you to not want to do more?
Your Followers Are Your Internal Customers
Recognition for behaviors you want to promote is necessary and the timeliness of that praise is vital to the relationships you are trying to build. I have heard people complain about rewards they received if they are too long after the fact, or if there is a lack of communication. Worse, I have heard staff say things like “I received a letter saying good job, but I don’t know what for.”
You never want that. The person who says something like that probably does not feel connected to their boss or the organization. The result is that the award that was given to them may actually demotivate them. Surely not the result you are hoping for.
If, instead, the person in this example had been told about an award they prior to receiving it, they would likely have had a better view on it. It is all about influencing expectations.
Conclusion
A teacher is always a student of those she teaches, and a leader must follow their followers. Unless you really know the people you are trying to lead, you will never be able to lead them successfully.
Your Turn
Have you ever felt that your leader was not providing you with the support you needed? What will you do to make your followers trust and respect you?
Mike Stenger
I can absolutely relate with this Mark & it’s so true! Many so called “leaders” are disconnected from those they are supposed to serve. It’s more of just a name and position they’re put in, not one that’s truly fulfilled by most.
I think one of the most important things you can do for your followers to trust and respect you is to show that you truly care for them and their well being. It opens up a much deeper connection and when you’re genuinely sincere about, trust is built at a much more rapid level.
mark
Hey Mike –
You have a great point there – leaders should serve their followers. Too many leaders (in my life anyway) thought of their position as a license to not do anything extra for anyone, to not be creative, and to not be responsible. They would blame their team for any problems.
Sure, a leader is going to have different pressures than their staff, and should not always just tell them about it. The job of a leader is to inspire and to create a place where new solutions can be found. They should perform actions that bring people in the organization together.
Building relationships is usually identified as a key skill in the sales profession. I believe that it is a key skill in all professions. Whether you are a leader by title or not, building relationships is always something that should be focused on. We can’t forget that we are human.
Have a great day Mike & thanks for the comment!
Onibalusi Bamidele
Great post Mark!
The truth has been laid in this post.
If as a leader, you are not ready to know what your followers want, then how can you lead them.
Leading is following.
Thanks a lot for the great post,
-Onibalusi
mark
I appreciate the kind words – this is the truth from my perspective. It takes a while, and it changes as the people in your group (whatever that may be) change. Leading well is one of the more complex tasks/jobs/whatever you can take on in an organization.
Really caring about the people you work with and/or lead is the first step to making good decisions in your organization.
Thanks for reading Onibalusi.
Bruce Teague
The best way to learn more about those who follow you and connect with them is to serve them.
mark
Hi Bruce –
I think that those are essential components. It works the other way too. Everyone starts as a follower, and learning about the needs and responsibilities of our leaders are just as essential.
Have a good day Bruce!
Garin Kilpatrick
A great leader must be a great listener: yes. But leading is not about following. Leading involves learning, of course, but being a leader is about taking the lead and calling the shots; leading is not about following what someone else would do.
mark
Hi Garin,
I agree that a leader is responsible for making decisions, some of which will be unpopular and/or difficult. I also agree that a (good) leader would not just follow what someone else would do.
I think these concepts are implied when one uses the term “leader.” Perhaps I did not state that explicitly and that made it hard to understand what I meant when I said “follow.” If that is the case, I do apologize.
If that is not the case, can you tell me why you think that a leader can successfully lead a team (productive, happy employees, with a business that is growing) today without really knowing or caring about her/his staff?
Thank you for the comment & have a nice day!
Nicholas Cardot
As a military man, we look for soldiers who are willing to obey orders, think responsibly and work to take care initiative as a follower before we consider promoting them into positions of leadership. When people can influence those around them toward good and can demonstrate respect and responsibility as a follower they will always make much better leaders than those who impatiently force themselves over others.
Kiesha @ We Blog Better
Hi Mark!
Glad to see you getting out and about the blogosphere! You are right on with this post – a good leader will empower those he or she is leading – that means giving them information and authority to make decisions without constantly having to seek approval. That requires a lot of trust, but if you’ve picked the right group of talent in the beginning, there really shouldn’t be anything to worry about!
mark
Hey Kiesha,
I really agree with you on that. You *have to* be able to trust the people you work with, whether they lead or follow you. Otherwise, you will spend too much time doing things that do not add value (e.g., triple checking staff work, etc.) to your organization.
There are people who cannot, or will not, work well without constant instruction and that can be frustrating. But, no one is the same, and you will still need to understand what motivates each of them. After all, you are trusting them to do a job for which you are ultimately responsible.
A leader needs to give their followers “information and authority to make decisions without constantly having to seek approval” or suffer the consequence of being an ineffective leader.
I imagine that it is much like being a teacher – if you don’t allow your students to make decisions & mistakes, they will (probably) not learn as well as students who were allowed to do so.
I really appreciate the comment. Have a great day!
Nicholas Cardot
Mark, great work on this post. I’m a strong supporter of being a great follower and a great leader and I really think that these two concepts form a beautiful relationship in helping us to really unleash our potential to lead and influence people around us.
mark
Hi Nick –
I could not agree more.
Earlier you said “When people can influence those around them toward good and can demonstrate respect and responsibility as a follower they will always make much better leaders than those who impatiently force themselves over others.”
That idea is at the core of the message I was trying to convey. A leader’s influence must be demonstrated everywhere, even if they are not *the* leader.
BTW – I really appreciate you allowing me to post this here. I had a good time writing it, and reading the points of view provided by your great and generous readership.
Have a great day!
Gines
I completely agree and can very much relate on this (both ends). In fact, the conclusion says it all.
I’m a former educator. If you know your students by heart, you’ll have a better chance of handling them. And by them, I mean 25-50 per course and up to 5 courses a day. You just have to very the approach and technique. Otherwise, you’ll fail and so will your students. And by showing them you care and that you’re passionate, they’ll surely trust and respect you.
“Have you ever felt that your leader was not providing you with the support you needed?’
YES! I’ve been at it a few times with my former manager (he doesn’t work there anymore). I even presented him a case study with survey results and how things can improve. Maybe were not on the same page. Maybe he’s not just the leader type. Maybe my presentation and approach wasn’t enough. I don’t know. I just kept my mouth shut. It doesn’t do me any good. (Another point there).
Whew! It felt good bringing that out.
Would you perform better if you worked for someone else? I think so. I know so.
Thanks Mark and Nicholas. Have a good one.
mark
Hi Gines –
Interesting point about not talking any further about something that you care about. Many people do this when they feel they have been beaten. That will always demotivate followers.
You also said “…by showing them you care and that you’re passionate, they’ll surely trust and respect you.” I completely agree with this (well, mostly anyway).
Leaders, like everyone else, make mistakes. Followers, like everyone else, will view your mistakes in the frame through which they view you. If they currently do not trust you, they will now think of you as a fool. If they already respect you, they will be a bit more kind.
What I learned from you – When you meet with resistance over something that you feel passionate about, do not keep quiet.
Thank you Gines!
Maureen
I’ve heard so much talk that followers are not leaders so when I saw this posting, I really wanted to read it.
I am totally dedicated to following those who lead and I also feel I am a good leader.
In the last job I had, the manager just passed out to-do lists and it was really mudane. I felt, however, if I completed the tasks, 1) the job would get done, 2) by completing the tasks, bigger assignments would come. However, they didn’t.
Great post and I’m happy to have found your work. I am currently looking for working for an organization where I can follow the leader and be a good leader myself. Your post indicates this is indeed possible.
Nicholas Cardot
It’s not only possible…it’s needed. We need people who can follow and lead. If you can only lead and you can’t follow those above you…then you can’t really lead. You can boss people around and that is a poor character trait of a leader. That balance of being able to follow when necessary and being able to lead when necessary is essential to strong leaders.
mark
Hi Maureen,
I am really glad that you found some value here. Nick’s site is great & it is still very young.
What you are describing about your former manager is all too familiar to me. A manager who just passes out work and does not take time to understand their employees’ motivations can be successful for a short time.
But, human nature seems to dictate that some employees will want more and some will be ok being dictated to. There is nothing wrong with either of these, but there are consequences to the leader if/when their staff’s needs are not met. Turnover, lack of productivity, or even just low morale can cause all kinds of problems in an organization.
You do have to learn to walk before you learn to run. But, starting to develop your leadership skills early on is essential. Keep it up Maureen!
John Paul Aguiar
Mike great post. A leader needs to come with a small amount of arrogance, so he can see the benefits in his followers and inspire them, motivate them.
I agree a follower needs to obey and follow directions but at same time think for themselves and follow an idea they have, and a good leader will support and nourish this attitude.
mark
Hi John,
You make a great point. A person who intends to influence (lead) others NEEDS to believe in their abilities and in what they are doing. Being able to “fake it until you make it” has likely worked for some people in the past, but I really don’t know that it is a great way to lead.
And, I like the way that you mention followers as people who need to have ideas as well. Part of leading a team on a large project is allowing them to create on their own. At least for a bit.
Great comments John!
Nicole Bauer
I couldn’t agree more, Mark! Somtimes I have this issue with my boss: I just feel disconnected. He’s in ther upper management and has so many things on his plate that I sometimes feel he doesn’t know what’s going on in the department. But that’s not necessarily his fault, but an organizational issue and I think that happens a lot: leaders oftentimes don’t have the time to get to know their followers and therefore can’t use all of their potential.
Btw: I think your design is perfect for a blog: it’s very easy to read (and I hate reading online ^^). Minimal, but interesting. Great job!
mark
Hi Nichole,
Great point. It is really hard to maintain a professional relationship with people when you don’t have much time. Plus, a leader’s time is usually split amongst many things that you many not even be aware of.
I guess it just comes down to priorities. Sometimes a leader will make the time for some people, but not others. That can be confusing, and possibly bad for morale.
That is not to say that this is intentional – people in these positions tend to have a bunch of responsibility, so they tend to be working on many things all at one time.
It is funny how many people believe that leaders do less. I never understood that.
Back to your comment – it seems completely likely to me that your leader forgets things. The easiest way to get noticed, in my experience, is to help your leader when they miss something.
(BTW – This is Nick Cardot’s site – it is a great design, but I can claim nothing for it.)
Have a great day!
Andrea
This article is a big slap in the face to born leaders. I see it time and time again when born followers try to take the lead. They break under pressure and make mistake after mistake. This is on a global scale. As a born leader; I see the big complex picture of the information presented to me by followers and understand peoples motives instantly. This helps me guide them and motivate them instantly. We both feel fulfilled and things run smoothly.
If you’re the type of person that has never led your own life from a young age and always followed the group; you’re a born follower. This does not mean that followers are non special. Quite the opposite. Leaders need followers. Its our job to lead; it is what we are programmed to do since birth. Followers get fulfilled exchanging information with a group of people. Leaders get fulfilled by leading. Win win situation.
The bitter people in the community are the leaders; they get bitter because they are either led by followers or doing the work of followers. Followers on the other hand get frustrated. This is an easy hint how to tell them apart.