Leaders matter greatly. But in searching so zealously for better leaders we tend to lose sight of the people these leaders lead. If you have not heard the term “followership” before, or not thought twice about it, you are not alone. It usually appears as a “non-word” when documents are spell-checked on the computer. It is not a new concept—just one that is often overlooked or forgotten.
Why followership is overlooked is an intriguing concept. Without followers, would there be leaders? Who would they lead? Who would become the leaders if they were not first the followers? Leadership and followership is a supportive bond: Leaders depend on followers and vice versa. Think about it: Without his armies, after all,
Napoleon was just a man with bold ambitions. Organizations and projects succeed or fail partly on the basis of how well their leaders lead, but partly also on how well their followers follow. In the words of one renowned project leader:
“Project bosses are not necessarily good leaders; team members are not necessarily effective followers. Many bosses couldn’t lead a horse to water. Many subordinates couldn’t follow a parade. Some people avoid either role. Others accept the role thrust upon them and perform it poorly.”
