The more I think about and practice leadership, the more convinced I am that we also need to hone the discipline and skill of following. “Followership,” although less lauded, is every bit as noble and grand – and in many instances, even more critical to the success of an outcome. In fact, odd as it seems, certain followers have more influence than the original leader.Derek Sivers made a terrific case for this in his now-famous TED presentation that showed how the First Follower transformed the act of a crazy guy on a hill into a mini-movement. It’s quite informative and entertaining, so if you haven’t seen it, check it out. It focuses on the role of a leader to embrace the first followers.This concept isn’t new. One of my favorite Harvard Business Review articles was titled “In Praise of Followers.”I first read it in 1988. What I love about this article is that it focuses on the importance of following (vs. the importance of embracing followers – which is the point of the TED presentation). Author Robert E. Kelly outlines four qualities of effective followers:
- They manage themselves well.
- They are committed to an organization and to a purpose, principle, or person outside of themselves.
- They build their competence and focus their efforts for maximum impact.
- They are courageous, honest and credible.
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