“History’s worst leaders never learned to follow. As a result, they became tyrants, making the lives of their own followers miserable.”

~Michael Hyatt~

Chances are if you are reading this, you have an interest in leadership or see yourself as a leader. The real question is “do others view you as a leader?” You are not a leader unless you have followers. You may think of yourself as the world’s greatest leader…just no one has recognized you yet. Chances are you spend too much time in your own mind and not listening to the thoughts of others. Stop focusing on being a great leader and instead, focus and practice being a great follower.

Great leaders learn, first, by being great followers. Michael Hyatt believes that some of the world’s worst leaders never learned to follow. Simply, they thought extremely highly of themselves and they were able to grasp power and control and feel like a leader. Power does not signify a great leader. In fact, power often exposes a leader for how terrible, ineffective and immature he/she is. What restrains power? Humility.

1. Great followers practice great humility. 

History’s greatest leaders have all had great humility. Great humility is learned by, first, learning to follow. For any of you reading this that have journeyed through life for any length of time will know what I am about to say to be true: there are only two paths to deal with humility and both require pain. The first one is to get humbled. This is extremely painful. The Bible is clear, “pride goes before a fall” (Proverbs 16:18). The second is to chose humility. This too involves pain, but far less than if someone else humbles you. I have learned it is far better to lower yourself, than to get knocked off your feet!

Humility is critical to great leaders, because without it, the leader will ignore the counsel of others, insulate him/herself with voices that only speak what they perceive the leader wants to hear and isolate themselves from truth.

Following can be hard, especially, for the leader that in his/her heart sees errors and mistakes of the leader and worse, has to deal with the consequences of poor decisions. One of the best ways to develop your own leadership is to serve under a leader who does things wrong or poorly. This teaches you discomfort. It is good for a leader to stay uncomfortable. Discomfort often creates a heightened state of alertness.

The opposite of humility is pride.

2. Great followers live in a truth-filled reality. 

Don’t construct an alternate universe because you don’t agree with the one you are currently living in or the role or position you currently have. Reality is the state things truly exist in. To many wanna-be leaders live in the fantasies of their own minds, constructing alternate realities that they try to impose on others. Here’s the problem: your alternate reality looks abnormal to those around you. You are not as great as you think you are.

reality = truth

alternate reality = deception 

Alternate reality is constructed because of pride. Pride unchecked becomes arrogance. Arrogance leads to destruction. Some leaders will fall from lofty heights never to recover and be useful as a leader. Followers learn to climb slowly, carefully and with patience test the truth of each new step. Poor leaders rush to judgment, rush to decision and rush through their growth curves, whereby, enhancing their own ability to be deceived.

Learn to follow. Enjoy being a follower. Enjoy making your leader look good. Followers have the freedom to not worry about who gets the credit. Arrogant leaders are immature leaders. Immature leaders are concerned with who gets the credit or the blame. Great followers accept the blame and share the credit. The ability of follower to do this shows they have crossed one of the largest obstacles to becoming a great leader: self.

The opposite of reality is deception. 

3. Great followers practice perpetual loyalty. 

Loyalty is locked-in faithfulness. People today know how to lock-in, but, increasingly, they don’t know what it means to be faithful.

One of my favorite stories that demonstrate faithfulness is the story of Hachi (or Hachiko) the golden-brown Akita breed of dog. Hachi would accompany his owner, a university professor to the train station each morning. In the afternoon, Hachi would arrive precisely at the time the train would arrive to accompany his master home. One day, Hachi’s owner died of a brain hemorrhage, unknowing his master died, Hachi showed up at the train station. Hachi would show up for 9 more years every day at the train station to await his master’s return. Hachi was more than committed. He was loyal. Hachi was locked-in every day for 9 years until he passed away. We don’t have humans that can stay faithful for 9 hours, much less 9 years.

To lead well you must have great loyalty. Loyalty means even if you disagree you don’t gossip, slander or criticize your leader. Followers must learn to accept the things they cannot change and stay faithful. Followers must stay locked-in to the target, no matter the variables, the obstacles or the adversity.

The opposite of loyalty is infidelity (unfaithfulness). 

4. Great followers don’t sacrifice personal integrity.

Great followers that become great leaders never sacrifice their integrity for gain, profit or success. In fact, they learn to value their integrity as an absolute in their character. As the climate of greed accelerates in our world followers must learn to stand firm and strong in regards to integrity. Cheating, lying and stealing must be things that the follower learning to lead never practices. Cutting corners, taking short cuts or just avoiding issues is not the path of integrity. Integrity is moral worth. Your integrity and your character are one in the same. Integrity is the culmination of your honesty, truthfulness and moral fiber. Sadly, too many leaders are corrupt and practice little to no integrity whatsoever. These kind of leaders are warped and great leaders always have a public honesty that is superseded by a private, personal integrity. Don’t sacrifice your integrity for personal gain for by doing so you are sacrificing your moral composition. Moral compromise is the doorway to destruction.

Leaders must learn to be good followers first. This is done through the lessons of humility, reality, loyalty and integrity. 

Look around. Who are you following? Who’s following you? 

To be a great leader, you need great followers.

(c) Redwall, LLC. 2016.