Following Leadership, Leading Followership

Are you a leader or a follower?

The dichotomy between a leader and follower is overblown. To reach greatness, it’s important to embrace both of these roles, and to know when to use both of them.

Brian Tracy, a highly successful self-help entrepreneur makes the point that no one is intrinsically better than anyone else. Instead, people follow better or worse strategies to better themselves. I agree with him about success sequences. Failing to follow tried and true principles for ‘leadership’ in the abstract doesn’t make much sense. Following advice and listening makes you much more effective when you lead because you’re able to imbibe the relevant lessons.

Following is also a peculiar kind of leadership, where endorsing good ideas early is putting yourself out there as well. There’s this dance video online of a dude dancing crazily by himself. After he gets a few people to join him, almost everyone else does as well. That first follower was a leader based on his influence.

I think leadership and ownership is underrated since it’s scary and in a sense puts a target on your back. Taking the first step, and showing care towards something may be unnerving, what if no one follows? This self-doubt undermines a lot of good ideas, and prevents important movements from getting started. Without expressing aspirations, it’s hard to imagine the world getting better. Merely accepting what’s in front of you won’t lead you to change what’s around you.