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.