Followership: A Cornerstone of Leadership

“You will always need to be in a leadership position.”

“What do you mean? I know how to follow!”

“I never said you could not follow; I said that you need to lead.  All good leaders must know how to follow.” 

Mrs. Benella Randolph, in a conversation with a 17 or 18-year-old brash, arrogant, and young Burl Randolph, Jr.

When you have great parents, their words of wisdom echo in your ears for a lifetime.

Dr. Burl Randolph, Jr., DM

Are you a leader, a follower, or both?

Most people place themselves in one category or the other, but we are all, most often, in the second category: followers.  I will never know why my mom made that comment to me on that day, but I do recall taking it to heart.  Have I always been a good follower? Of course not, but I had to understand that I needed to become a good follower to be a good leader.  

Followership is not just a requirement for good leaders, but an innate quality of great ones.  That is why I believe followership is a cornerstone of leadership.  We will define ‘cornerstone’ in a subsequent post, as the concept is fascinating; however, we will focus on followership in this post. 

Although there are many books on followership versus leadership, I found no single definition that resonated with me.  So, what did I do?  I defined followership for myself.

Defining Followership

To me, followership is “the ability to position myself to be led, based on the situation, the needs of the organization, or the innovation I envision.”

I have held over 20 leadership positions, spanning from entry-level to strategic roles. With that range of experience, my definition holds a special meaning for me, and I need to unpack it.

Ability means having the power, capacity, or competency to execute a given task.  Not everyone can follow for various reasons, with fear being one of the most prevalent (Kellerman, 2008).  Just like most people, I had to learn how to follow. That was particularly helpful in an organization like the Army.

Being in a position to be led. This relates to your mindset.  If you do not believe that you can or will be led, you will not be led. Conversely, those who cannot be led will not be followed.  All of us, no matter how strong we are, submit our wills to something we believe is greater than ourselves. This might include deitie, parents, spouse, mentor, coach, trusted agent, etc.  Those who do not are generally referred to as narcissists.         

The situation allows for situational leadership. This is where I acknowledge that I may not possess the best knowledge, skills, or abilities to lead.

The needs of the organization are another cornerstone of leadership.  Sometimes, even as a senior or executive leader, I need to pitch in and follow the lead of others. That may help propel the organization to greater heights.

Innovation, I imagine, is when I sometimes have a vision that has not come to fruition.  I also recognize that sometimes I am not the one to drive innovation, so I position myself as a follower.

Pretty deep, right?

Followership is vitally important during your leadership journey.  Without the ability to follow, the leadership journey could be a short trip.

                             Leader, follower, or both: Which one are you?

References:

Kellerman, B. (2008). Followership: How followers are creating change and changing leaders. Boston, MA: Harvard Business Press

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Dr. Burl Randolph, Jr., is a retired Army Colonel with nearly 32 years of service. He currently leads as the President and Chief Consultant of MyWingman, LLC, a Business Leadership & Management Company that “Helps Leaders Design Legacies That Last” (c) 2015.