Do you want to be an effective leader – learn what it's like to be a follower)
Only in brainstorming and discussion one can get a very helpful selection of some new ideas he or she could never think of. I, myself, strongly believed that effective leaders are born, and a person should have certain qualities and characteristics that ought to develop over his life (experience). I really liked the point, which I never thought of, that every person can be called a leader at some way, as we all tend to influence someone at a particular point of time. The question of effectiveness rise right away, you might have a positional power or authority to lead and people will comply but not willingly; but still leading practice might take place and, indeed, be found in any person. Do you have to be a follower before leading productivly is even more complicated to answer. It is getting even more confusing because you do not know from what side to approach that questin...we had a very mixed discussion, in my perception, and ended up answering a question of what we understand under efficient leadership rather the question we wanted to answer...))) Still, the result for me, personally, was achieved I got my own solution to that matter and now I strongly believe that one has to be a follower first. Though one never stop debating what came first - kitchen or an egg? is it the leader who then find the followers or vice versa?))
18 May 2010 18:11
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Paul Roberts
An interesting post Vera. I think that all experiences of leadership if reflected upon help to build up one’s own approach to leadership. Thus, an individual’s experience of being a follower and a leader add to this developing core of understanding. As for the chicken or egg question concerning leadership or followership, I am sure that the debate will continue. However, one could argue that some babies soon influence the thoughts and actions of their parents whereas others happily follow until they find their voice…
19 May 2010, 09:04
Very intersting blog and as paul said its an unending debate. But a leader must be a follower to be very effective throughout. As it is said, we are going to be students throughout our life, the life is a university and we are students. We learn everyday and experience change every moment..
said by great personality called sid..haha
22 May 2010, 13:21
I back the statement that “one do not have to be a follower to lead in particular but everyone follows someone at different stages along the way to leadership”.
The terms “born leaders” and “leaders are made”, in my opinion, both are equally wrong and misleading in ways that have practical implications, particularly for leadership development. Leaders are born or leaders are made. Like the nature-nuture controversies in Psychology, though, the truth lies somewhere within the two poles.
I believe that it is true that some personality traits and characteristics can make it easier or, for that matter, harder to be successful in leadership roles. Or, that very early experience in childhood may predispose some people to be better in the leadership role. So, there is a contribution of things “born”, or things that operate in early life.
But I also believe that there’s also no question that people develop as leaders over time, and they are “made”, and improved by their own effort. That does NOT mean that everyone is equally able to function in a leading role, or equally able to develop into successful leaders.
23 May 2010, 22:37
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