How to be a good leader: (hint: know when you should follow 😉)

One way in which people demonstrate leadership is by knowing when to be followers. 

This was a lesson I picked up recently from listening to the McKay Interview podcast episode with Dr. Cynthia Cherrey and Professor Mike Hardy.  

(If you want to both feel and be smarter, spend some time with The McKay Interview). 

A business needs leaders, and it needs leadership, and it needs followers. And to have all of these, it must allow these roles to be fluid. 

Leadership

Leadership is influence. 

There are many definitions of leadership, but what they all have in common is that leadership influences. Leadership guides people, advances projects, furthers goals, and more.  

In your business, expect leadership from everyone. 

Leaders

Expect leadership in their roles and in the application of their expertise. 

Everybody in your business has particular skills, strengths, and technical knowledge. They should assume the role of leaders when those attributes are required. 

Followers

And you should expect them to have enough leadership skills to know when they should be followers rather than leaders. 

It is not always easy for people to say “I don’t know. But being able to defer to the best person for a certain situation is a great show of leadership. 

If leadership is influence, then knowing when to say “we should be talking to so-and-so about that” is sometimes the correct way to influence a situation for the better. 

The boss

And what about you? The owner, the founder, the CEO?

The same rules apply. 

Display leadership always, by knowing when to lead, and when to follow. 

What next

Are you allowing all your employees to be leaders? And are you making it easy for them to be followers at the right moment? To get the most out of the people around you, call me to build your new organizational chart.