Be the best follower to be the best leader

If you want to be a great leader, you must first become a great follower. Although it is rarely discussed, this is where almost all of history's greatest leaders had their beginning. I would likewise contend that history's worst leaders never learned to follow. As a result, they became dictators, making the lives of their followers miserable.

If you want to be a great leader, begin by asking, "How can I be a better follower?" or "How can I make my boss more successful?" You may be asking yourself why is there a discussion on how to be a good follower. Most of us start in an organisation or a community as a follower.

It is rare that any of us will step into any type of leadership position, formal or informal without demonstrating that we can be and are good followers. There's a lot you can learn about being a good leader by learning to be a good follower. Good followers support and aid the leader when he or she is doing the right thing and stand up to the leader - having the courage to let the leader know when he or she is doing something wrong or headed in the wrong direction.

Today, leaders need to be aware of various audiences including colleagues, co-workers, customers, shareholders, board members and the public. Being a follower teaches you how to be aware of the needs of other people. Good followers learn to read people and understand what upsets or motivates them.

Virtues

Leaders and followers share some of the same virtues, while others differ. A follower's qualities should complement those of a leader. Not all followers necessarily show all of these qualities, and there are other qualities, but these can help identify people with followership potential.

Like leadership, followership spans a variety of skills and methods. By learning and teaching these, we can expand the pool of good followers in the community. Here are some things you can do as a follower.

Support your leader's ideas and voice agreement. Speak well of your leader to others. Accept direction from your leader. When asked to do something reasonable, do it without hesitation. This helps avoid the awkward scenario caused by everyone waiting for someone else to move first.

Good followers learn how to get along with those who have differences while not ignoring those differences.

That's an important leadership trait, too, because a leader or manager can't afford to be oblivious to the attitudes of those around him or her.

Being a good follower means having the courage to dissent if you think your leader, manager, or superior, is doing something wrong.

That's not always easy, but it needs guts and the strength of conviction that are essential for good leadership. In many ways, followers can 'make or break' the leader influencing if and how goals are accomplished.

In many business sectors, followers are the ones who do much of the creative work, although the leader may get most of the credit. Leaders who have been good followers understand how to work with people to bring out the best in them.

Good observer

You can't be a good follower unless you have clearly identified the leader. While you may be a leader in your own realm, everyone has a boss - including you. Great followers not only accept this fact but embrace it. Great followers are observant. They notice what needs to be done to help the leader accomplish his or her goals.

Then they do it - joyfully, without grumbling or complaining. Great followers don't make it about them. They are humble. They shine the light on the leader. They make their own boss look good - especially in front of his or her boss. Great followers never speak ill of their boss in public. This doesn't mean they can't disagree or even criticize. It just means that they don't do it in public.

Great followers understand that public loyalty leads to private influence.

I feel like I have only scratched the surface. If you want to be a great leader, begin by asking, "How can I be a better follower?" or "How can I make my boss more successful?"

As leaders, it's equally important for us to know how to follow as it is know how to lead.

In fact, many believe that to be a good leader, you must first be a great follower and continue to follow well as you continue to lead well.

Great leaders are precious, great followers, priceless. You need good leaders and good followers to build a winning organisation for which you need to create the culture of leaders following when they have to follow and followers leading when they have to lead.