Fellow Leaders: Who Are You Following?
Those of us fortunate enough to be in leadership roles have likely dedicated time to exploring the entrepreneurial methods, lessons learned, and leadership styles of other notable and inspiring leaders. If you and I have anything in common, you too:
Are following Richard Branson, Bill Gates, Elon Musk, Malcom Gladwell and Howard Schultz
Are familiar with Simon Sinek’s TED talks and books
Have quoted John Wooden
Have highlighted the teachings of Pope Francis
Inhale articles about employee satisfaction and high performance teams
Dream of attending a weekend experience lead by Tony Robbins
As leaders, we have thought a great deal about whom we wish to emulate and how we may nurture and grow our minds and hearts in order to become:
Influential without being a dictator
Approachable without losing authority
Visionary without forgetting reality
Tactical while grasping the big picture
Thoughtful without becoming paralyzed
Driven while remaining flexible
Because we desire to inspire change, progress, performance and employee satisfaction, it is natural to follow all of these other great leadership performances.
But, fellow leader, who are you following throughout the rest of your day?
Do you follow your employees, your team, as they lead you towards project solutions? As you have dedicated precious time creating an organization of talented, skilled, and hard-working employees, are you listening and following them as they shine? When their creativity guides you toward innovative solutions, and as you see their confidence develop, are you following them into your future together?
Do you choose to follow your employees as they teach you how to be a stronger leader? As they subtly and silently show you what they need from you? Do you follow them into their difficulties so that you can lead them out to the other side?
Please be intentional: Being a great leader also means being a great follower.
Even more, when the going gets tough, when the market becomes a little shaky…. which of your peers are you following? Are you inadvertently following the crowd that complains, criticizes, and judges other departments, employees, or leadership? Have you forgotten that you, too, should be seeking feedback and perpetually growing? Are you following those stagnant coworkers who believe they have it all figured out or do you choose to acknowledge that no one of us succeeds alone? Have you become caught in the trap of passive aggressive behavior working in a silo or do you choose to lead your peers towards clarity and collaboration?
Please be careful: Great leaders often walk the lonelier path rather than follow the crowd in order to demonstrate integrity and authenticity.
We have such a wonderful opportunity to lead our employees toward fulfillment and success. In order to do that, you and I, the leaders of the future - we should hold each other accountable to following greatness.
