What makes a good follower

Standing alone and uniquely among other employees will be a huge step in progression towards the goal of successful leadership. If you have ideas you feel like sharing that might be helpful to readers, share them in the comments section below. Would you like to contribute a post? Please log in again. The login page will open in a new tab. After logging in you can close it and return to this page. Home About Contact. Andrew Craner. Andrew Craner lives in Boise, Idaho. He is a freelance writer, a full time college student, and a basketball enthusiast.

He is working on his undergraduate program for marriage and family therapy. Andrew has always had a desire to help people through counseling, and loves his life. Search for:.

Close dialog. And they have already started their own personal leadership journey. They happen to be self-leaders who follow. Put your team first. The best followers are also the best team-players. They know one truth: they are only as good as the team. And guess what? Their bosses know that about them and thank their lucky stars for them. When you make personal sacrifices for the good of the team, you're broadcasting the message, "I care about 'us' more than 'me'.

Their leaders count on them. Their peers confide in them. Everyone else likes them. How this helps you as a future leader? Guess who else puts the team first? That's right, a good leader. Believe in yourself and your leader. The best followers have confidence in their abilities and the abilities of their leaders.

They don't need to be told what to do, how to do it, and when to do it. They just get things done. They also know, and expect, that their leaders will get things done too. It's a mutual trust that keeps the work engine humming along nicely. As a good follower, you have the courage and confidence to respectfully discuss with your leader if you believe you're not going in the right direction. You trust that your leader would appreciate the spirit of your input and engagement.

To be a successful leader in the future, you will need competent and confident followers. Legendary adman David Ogilvy once said, "If each of us hires people who are bigger than we are, we shall become a company of giants. What you follow, not who. This may be a surprise. The best followers don't just follow a leader; they follow the leader's mission or vision. Enthusiasm is contagious.

Good followers model good behavior. They set the bar high and walk the walk, not just talk the talk. Good followers have an insatiable appetite for improving their knowledge, education, and abilities. Good followers take classes, listen to educational programs when they exercise, they read books, go to seminars, and seek out mentors. I live that quote. All good followers do, and so do all good leaders. Good followers serve their organizations, employers, their families, and others.

Good followers are, in my view, the best Servant Leaders.