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Good Leaders Must Be Good Followers

Guest post by: John Cameron

Article Overview: Modeling good behavior is the best leadership tool you own. Are you modeling behavior you want others to emulate when they follow you?

Good Leaders Must Be Good Followers

Are you ready to lead?
Good Leaders, those that exhibit good leadership, true leadership, effective leadership, know they have to learn to be great followers first.


Joe and Lester, two directors in this organization, left the meeting with the Senior Vice President. The looked quickly to make sure no one was listening.
Joe, “Man, I can’t believe that idiot wants us to go back to using our old vendor. If our top priority is price, why in the heck are we going back to them?”
Lester, “What is rocks-in-his-head thinking? Their deadlines on delivery are a week longer than our current vendor. I don’t even get it. Hey, it’s almost lunch time. Why don’t we beat the crowd and head over to Papa Don Giovanni’s now?”
Joe, “Great idea. I am starving. Oh, hold on. I had a staff meeting scheduled. Let me call my admin and have her move the meeting to after lunch.”
Before we can become leaders we must learn how to follow
How would you feel if two important members of your team supported you in your meeting and then griped and moaned about you in the hall on the way back to their work-stations?
How would you feel if you had planned on attending a meeting and at the last minute the boss called to move the time?
How can you expect people to follow you if you are leading them astray?
As a leader you are always leading.
Your people watch as you walk into the room. Are you walking confidently? Are your shoulders hunched? Is your expression open or closed? Is there a frown on your face? Or a smile? If you are usually smiling, what does it mean when you are frowning? If you normally don’t greet your coworkers and today you do, what does it mean? Each and everything that you do, or don’t do, has meaning. You have to always think in terms of leadership.
AND IT IS ALWAYS ABOUT THEM!
As a leader you must be constantly aware of what you say and do and what you are not saying and not doing.
That one time where you don’t think anybody is listening is the one time when they will be.
That one time when you don’t think you are being watched is the one time that you will be.
Does this mean you have to be perfect? No. You do have to be constantly aware. You do have to always think in terms of leadership. Everything you do and don’t do leads.
Action Items.
Practice thinking in terms of leadership.
What is my expression saying?
Am I modeling behavior that I would find abhorrent in a follower?
What is my walk telling people?

What is my tone of voice saying or not saying?
I am walking the talk and talking the walk?
Ask your team if you model behaviors you expect from them.

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Article Tags: effective leadership, followership, good leaders, good leaders must be good followers



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