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Leader or Follower - Which One is You?

Author: Team xMonks | Published on: Mon, 05 Feb 2024 09:59:36 +0000

Leader or Follower- Which one is you? Image

Many are caught within the crosshairs of decision-making when it comes to choosing how to evolve their lives both professionally and socially - be a leader or a follower. There is still a little stigma associated with both titles, although both roles offer a lot of interpretations and freedom to give them life. Going through various phases in life, we are required to be a party to either of these bands at all times. Being a leader is always looked upon more favourably in society than being a follower. Psychologically, leaders are always viewed as someone on top; those who lead a good life, show others the right way, and are thus prime role models; people that others aspire to be. Followers, on the other hand, are considered regular run-of-the-mill people who do what they are told. According to societal bylaws, followers aspire to be leaders.

Leaders are seen everywhere; in the realm of politics, sports, military, religion, and of course as parents. Parents may be the most influential leaders in our early-stage development as a child. Thus, we start out as followers of our parents, and gradually with age, the roles reverse with us leading them (hopefully). A good leader is influential, but more importantly, a good leader is ethical. Lacking ethics will result in not only poor performance but also poor development of a leader's followers. This applies predominantly in the workplace but also can apply to political and social leaders.

Leadership is the art of persuasion; the act of motivating people to do more than they ever thought possible in pursuit of a greater good, according to Forbes. It has nothing to do with title, authority, or seniority. It has nothing to do with how many people report to you, and you don’t magically become one once you reach a certain pay grade. Leadership is about social influence, not positional power. Followership is all about the ability to accomplish goals under a leader's direction. Successful followership involves following instructions, completing assigned tasks, supporting initiatives, and being motivated. Good followers see the value in listening to others and helping achieve their vision. Followership is important because it contributes to a successful, cohesive team environment. Organizations rely on followership to accomplish complex goals and maintain a functioning hierarchy of operations. Followership is what keeps the machinery ticking like clockwork. While it’s true that an organization is only as good as its leaders, it is also only as good as its followers.

What Makes You a Good Leader?

What Makes You a Good Follower?

The Learnings

The main takeaway from these two sets of traits is that they are interchangeable. This means that somebody can be a leader in a certain situation but might be required to be a follower in another scenario. Or vice-versa. Society must leave itself susceptible to the adaptability between these two boxes, and we must realize that it is frustrating to put somebody in a certain box and not allow them to move from it. Food for thought - all good leaders started out as brilliant followers. In the same vein, professionals must respect the circumstances and adapt to whatever role the situation dictates. Collectively, we must defeat ego and play both the roles with aplomb.

Frequently Asked Questions

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