When I was a kid my definition of a leader was that they were the boss, the one who told everyone what to do.
As I got older I realized that there were many different kinds of leaders. But the ones I appreciated the most in my life were never fully in charge. They weren’t the ultimate bosses. But it never changed how powerful a leader they were.
These leaders knew how to execute and how to help others execute. They knew how to inspire and were inspiring themselves.
But most importantly, they knew how to follow. They knew how to model to their teams what it looked like to be a great follower.
I’m still growing in the ability to model effective followership. But I have no trouble being a follower and embracing the goals of the leaders I follow.
What about you? Are you a good follower? Are you showing your teams how to follow well?