The Art of Followship

Plenty has been written and spoken on how to be a good or great leader. One key aspect I believe is often missed in teaching people leadership principals is the principal of Followship. The art of followship is about learning to be a good leader by first being a good follower of leaders. There are several key points to learning leadership through the art of followship.

Find a good leader

Obvious I know but it is integral to learning good leadership habits. Followship learning operates on the principal that more is ‘caught than taught.’ Find a good leader and stick to them like glue. Be a sponge and absorb.

Be observant

Followship is about learning how a leader leads. How do they make decisions, treat people, respond to problems and react to changed circumstances. It’s an invaluable Leadership 101 subject.

Patience

My experience is that many potential leaders want the power and position now. Fortunately leadership is a maturing process not a knowledge one. It is about serving your time in followship learning the craft. Where many people go wrong is they want to skip a few rungs in the ladder by taking short cuts. They might look good on the outside but the inside is empty.

Followship has a cost

Learning leadership this way has a cost in time, ego and pride. Serve your apprenticeship in following well and the opportunities will open without you having to create them. One of my favourite leadership quotes by Jeff Bezos is “You earn a reputation by doing the hard things well.” You gain your leadership credentials in followship by doing the hard yards.

Even great leaders follow

One thing followship tells you are that great leaders follow too. Most great leaders themselves were nurtured by someone else and still have a system of accountability around them. The lesson you learn to be a great leader is to deal with pride. Great leaders will have a succession plan. Poor leaders are insecure and consequently don’t raise up other leaders.

Final notes

If you are an aspiring leader you need to seek someone you admire and stick to them like glue.

If you want to raise strong leaders in your organisation, company or church then you need to identify potential in your group and then apprentice them to yourself. Make yourself to be available to counsel, teach and be watched as you lead. There maybe a cost to you in the short term but you will reap the rewards of your efforts.        

The Power of Encouragement

The other Saturday I was driving from Harrison’s Under 13 school soccer match to Jack’s Under 8 club soccer match. This season I had agreed to coach Jack’s team which has been an interesting experience for me. Any way in the 20 minute trip I had broken the news to Jack that it was his turn to be goal keeper. Now Jack is scared of getting hurt by the ball and previous turns as goalie have ended badly for the team and his parents.
Jack earnestly pleaded his case not to be goalie but I knew it was his turn and as I was the coach I promised to help him through this traumatic experience. Right up to kick off Jack was still apprehensive and I did my best assure him he would be fine and that I would be there to help him. Now in under 8’s the coach can be on the field so I was able to encourage him while standing with him as he did his stint as goalie. By half time no goals had been scored and he had actually saved 2 goals.
By training the following Wednesday Jack’s confidence was so high he wanted to be keeper at practice and wanting to keep in the next game as well. What had changed?

I don’t know but I did learn that encouragement mixed with physical support is a powerful tool.

Now I am not talking about unnatural encouragement. You know telling some one they will be a scientist when they fail science, that you will be a good electrician when they are colour blind. No, I am talking about when you know they are capable but lack self belief. It’s encouragement beyond just saying words; that has action with it. I’ll stand with you, watch you, and get you some help.

Raising kids or work mates is more than words. It is about putting self belief into their life. It’s about fostering a ‘you can do it attitude’ and saying that I will see it through with you.

My favourite Bible story is about Mark. Paul says that Mark is useless to him and tells him to go away. Latter we read Paul at the end of his life calls for Mark as he believes he is useful to Paul’s work. What caused the change? Barnabus. Barnabus known as a great encourager takes hold of Mark from the scrap heap because he could see something in him and with some encouragement could make Mark fulfil his potential.

This week at soccer I learnt what it is like to be Barnabus to my son Jack and I have since seen what it has done to him. Imagine what would happen in your work place, congregation, and home or your sporting team if you have a Barnabus person in its midst. How different would your office be or your church, sporting team or home. How much more successful would it be and importantly how many more Marks or Jacks would be encouraged to achieve something they thought was impossible.