The Problem with Leadership
Doyle Slayton | Jan 10, 2010 | Comments 14
Last week, I asked the question, “Do we have a leadership problem?“ We received some terrific answers from everyone! As promised, this week, I’m sharing my own thoughts on the subject.
The biggest problem with leadership… is “followership.” I’ll share three reasons why…
Be a Leader, Not a Follower - We grew up with parents who told us, “Be a leader, not a follower.” Although the message carries good intentions, it’s been taken out of context.
When we were told not to follow, it was meant to teach us not to tag along with those who were a bad influence. Remember when we wanted to drive without a license, stay out past midnight, try things we shouldn’t be messing with?
It’s In Our Nature – Go back to the very beginning of life. We bit from the apple. Man’s greatest sin was that (s)he didn’t obey.
What if I told you that your role is to obey those who have been assigned as leaders in your life? Does it make you uneasy… uncomfortable… make you feel a little defiant?
Think about the problems you’ve had with the assigned leaders in your life. Write down the issues and frustrations that came with each leader. Is there a common theme?
Those who subscribe to this line of thinking will say, “You will continue to go through the process until you get it.”
We Think Our Way is Best – Think of professional athletes and their coaches. Brett Favre is a perfect example. He doesn’t want to be told what to do. He thinks his way is the best way. He trusts in his own strategy more than anyone else’s.
What about sales people? We think, “Just let me do it my own way. I’ll do better if you just leave me alone!”
So what is the solution?
Followers – My goal is to become a better follower. Our ability to lead is largely dependent on our willingness to follow.
Leaders - In the words of Ben Parker (Spider-Man’s alter ego), “With great power, comes great responsibility.” You’ve been assigned to leadership role. When it comes time to answer for your actions… how well did you handle the “assignment?”
Walk away from this article with your finger pointed at your own heart… there, you will find the solution.
Special kudos to Bob Light and Merideth who shared comments on the previous post. Both pointed to the need for better followers!
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Filed Under: Blog • Fun-n-Stuff • Leadership • Reader Questions
A strong, charismatic and good leader will always have good and loyal followers. Prove is there to find throughout history.
correct i agreed for that .
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Good leadership includes being a good follower.
An interesting perspective on the leadership challenge; both in terms of leaderships’ responsibility to keep in mind their actions directly influence the development of loyal followers, as well as those who serve under leaders to keep up their end of the bargin also.
I believe leadership has changed. Historically we see people who are “Grounded” perhaps in their faith, training or experience. These leaders displayed charisma because of their “Grounding.” We wanted to follow them because it was obvious they were or would become successful. Today we see charismatic leaders with many followers but they have no substance. Seemingly successful leaders with large followings creating the feeling that we want to follow them as we did in the past, later we find that they do not have the grounding to be a great leader.
Doyle, I agree, we all need to learn to follow better, but hopefully we learn to follow “Real” leaders not the pretty faux ones on every street corner!
Thanks, Doyle. I accept all of what you say, and you do say it very eloquently.
If there is a problem, I believe it may have more to do with how leadership is perceived– that it’s not a thing. It’s an attitude.
That attitude dictates that every leader must also be a follower in order to be an effective leader. We all need to also be customers in order to be effective sales professionals, yes?
But the interesting part of all this is that if you agree that leadership is indeed an attitude, then it is also a choice because all behaviors are choices and attitude is a behavior.
Those, therefore who aspire to leadership need not knock themselves out in its pursuit; they need simply to choose it… and keep choosing it.
Ongoing leadership means exercising that choice over and over again.
And this all brings us full circle to some of your earlier writings about (my interpretation of your words) “cranking yourself up every morning and every night, looking hard in the mirror and believing in yourself, staying on track with your goals, and reinforcing your commitments to yourself and your family and associates and customers as a continuous mindset.”
There. Does that come close to some previous messages?
Bottom line is that the only real problem with leadership –if there is one– resides only within the minds and hearts of those who choose the role because it is always a choice to step forward and be accountable for yourself.
Reading this reminded me of a famous quote, but i cannot remember where it’s from but i hope it helps
”the greatest of you will be the servant to all”
i think its from the Bible but i am not 100 percent sure.
Might I note, unless someone already has, that Spiderman’s alter ego is Peter Parker – Stan Lee, the creator I believe, is known for his alliteration with the main characters in his comics names – ie. PP.
And for the purpose of discussion, how many leaders with the ability to also follow are making it to the top? From my experience, those who get ahead are usually exalted as ‘leaders’ and to leadersihp roles b/c of their abbrasive attitudes as well. Often it has been my experience that many who have the ability to both lead and follow, are neglected or discarded as being a ‘follower’ or ‘unable to lead’ because of the more dominant personalities which self-promote more obvious leadership qualities.
Anyone seeing these types of human misconceptions at play? I think there are, many leaders in today’s organizations have external attributes that would ‘speak’ leader, when in fact are not primed for leadership roles in terms of managing people,sometimes knowledge or certain skills, and especially having this ability to follow and learn/listen etc. which are generally attributed as ‘follower’ characteristics. So my question is essentially where is this balance? and also who, if anyone, can be expected to see it for what it is?
Thanks for the kudos Doyle, but the real credit goes to good caffeine and a thought-provoking question.
It seems to me that society has taken the pride and the value of accomplishment out of being a follower (and doing a good job!), and put it into empty, non-follower titles. Some clever spin-doctor realized that when people meet each other, they don’t share their wage amounts, at least not outright, but they do share titles. Thus, you can be earning minimum wage, yet if you carry a big title, you feel more prideful. Helps keep wage costs down, and moral up. Rah rah… ;>)
My left-field point is that true leadership empowers people to feel good about their actual accomplishments and contributions and rewards that behavior. Problem is, that requires short term investment for long term payoff, and leaders aren’t given that luxury or choice today.
Hum, perhaps the real problem is with who is leading the leaders……
Doyle:
Great post, I agree with you on all points.
Thanks!
Doyle, as usual a very interesting post.
I don’t want to put words in your mouth but it seems that your point is that because of our upbringing, nature, and ego (believing we are right) we are poor followers, or that there is a problem with followers.
To these points I am not sure that I agree.
Upbrining
I don’t believe the context of a parent telling a child about who to hang out with or follow is the same as the subject of leadership in business or the world.
The concept of leadership is all about taking action towards an objective in a way that draws others to join the cause.
Leaders typically start by being an example of “something.” It is that example that draws others to them and no matter what their parents told them people will be inspired by the example and follow.
Nature
The point here is that leaders aren’t assigned. You don’t tell others to follow and get followers. You become a great leader because you catalyze their motivation to achieve an objective.
A simple example. Obama is the assigned leader of the country and when he took office he had many followers in tune with his objectives. However, today far fewer people are “following” his dream.
Kennedy announced the race to the moon and the whole country followed. People were motivated and enthusiastic about this goal. He claimed the support of a large majority of the American people for his objective.
There was no issue with any external force or action in getting followers.
Ego, thinking we know best
The fact is we all have and ego to a certain extent. We all by nature do what we believe is correct or right.
Bret Favre probably does believe he knows best but he doesn’t run the team due to those beliefs. The team is run around his skills and abilities, the coach leads the team to act in ways that leverage the skills of the players involved.
Bret’s belief in himself has nothing to do with a problem of leadership. His example and success is what makes him a leader and one that others follow.
Bret also realizes that he (most of the time) can’t do it alone. He has to work with the system.
A salesperson that doesn’t use the best practices that have already proven successful is likely not going to succeed.
If you are the “best” by actions and results you can take such a position to some extent.
However, most salespeople that desire to be great at what they do will tend to follow those who are already successful.
Even the best leaders are following other leaders.
In my opinion there are no problems with followers, only problems with leaders. Followers are attracted to results and vision. That can’t be “told” or “forced” to be followers.
If you don’t have followers, it’s because your AREN’T leading!
Great points about taking the time to learn from other great people…