I had a chat with a friend a few weeks ago. He asked me what I thought made good leaders, I told him good followers. Seems simple, even trite, but it’s true.
Leaders find themselves selected to lead because others look to them to provide leadership. They develop or they have an innate ability to pull themselves out of their own self-consciousness for the needed moment and provide insight, direction, or example that inspires and encourages others. In most simplistic situations, it could be because of physical or athletic prowess that followers gravitate to one individual, that becomes their leader. Maybe people gravitate to someone that has beauty, or a kind face, or appears wise, in a way that is instinctual. They then become leaders because of how they react to the sudden attention. Again, with insight, direction, or example that inspires and encourages followers.
Good leaders, need good followers. What I mean by good here is to question the purpose of the leader, as well as the purpose of the followers? Leaders that realize they are being followed, may use their influence to consolidate more power, to achieve a greater wealth, influence, or control. But this power can corrupt, especially if it’s used to gain more power and control for an evil purpose. Narcissism is born out of an unrelenting desire for power and the recognition and false adulation that goes with it . Bad leaders seek to carve out their flock from all others and create an elitist and privileged group. Bad followers feed bad leaders, and support the purpose and intent of the leader. Good leaders may also create an illusion of elitism, but they do so with a sense of community, of involvement. Think about the purpose of company shirts. They create a sense of belonging, but also are a way of advertising to those outside the group, who we are. Doing so with the intent of attracting more followers and advancing a purpose. What is the intent of the leader, and the followers? Followers have great influence on who the leader is and whether the group’s intent is for positive and good purpose.
Good has another meaning here as well, that is effectivity. How good is the leader at communicating, or providing that inspiration and example for followers? So much more than branding is needed. Truly good leaders learn the tools of communication, coaching, encouragement, and discipline. They learn to know what will work and will not and with purpose how to apply the right tools and the right dosage of each. Today many call this emotional IQ.
Followers have an obligation to be good. They have an obligation to be clear in their own minds about what they are looking for, and to see beyond the immediate appeal and to look past the leaders lead, to see where the leader is taking followers. Evaluating the mandate that has been given, and the purpose, the value, in the context of successes, failures, and historical context. All leaders are flawed, all followers are flawed. Good leaders, and good followers make each other better because they support an objective and purpose that goes beyond the collection of power, of influence and control of others, and they learn from their own mistakes. They are seeking collectively the betterment of all, even those that are outside of the group and not currently a follower.