Notes on Leadership
Leadership is tied to followership as unchangeably as the sun rising in the east is tied to the break of day. Leaders who forget, ignore, or deny the symbiotic relationship between the followers and leaders are no leaders.
The follower's benefit cannot always be achieved by perceived justice, cooperative joint management, or collaboration. Imagine, if you would, asking a child if they want to brush their teeth today and supporting a negative response. There are times for exercised authority.
What is the leader's main job, if not to always be in front, motivating, dragging, or beating the followers toward the desired end?
"Where there is no vision, the people perish." — Proverbs 29:18
Vision. Prepare the path for the followers, team, organization, government, or world. Find the purpose, teach the purpose, and provide the light that encourages positive actions from those around you to reach for the vision. Vision and purpose are the provinces of leadership. Be that person. Shine the light.
Action is another goal of a leader. Any course vigorously pursued is better than no course at all.
"Lead me, follow me, or get out of my way." — General George Patton
If you are a student of history or even just a watcher of movies, you may know that Patton was known as a "son of a bitch" (SOB). My father enlisted in WWII and was under Patton for the duration of Patton's mainland European campaign. I once asked him what he thought of Patton. His response was actually in the famous movie Patton. He told me that he was an SOB, but he was our SOB. His men were fiercely loyal to him because he always demanded action. He did not need to be in front, but he did need to be doing things. Always. Forward.
A leader's goal is not to surround her or himself with smaller or lesser men or women. The goal is to be surrounded by great people.
"A great person attracts great people and knows how to hold them together." — Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe
People who know more do more, and need less direction than the leader does. The leader provides the vision and clears the way for the followers to continually motivate forward motion, using whatever leadership technique, skill, or quality that will enable the great ones around the leader to succeed.
However, never forget that people are attracted to the leader because of their deportment, attitude, and impression long before they ever hear the vision.
"People buy into the leader before they buy into the vision." — John Maxwell
They trust the leader's integrity, ability, enacted lifestyle, and visible behaviors first. They, out of a sense of team, loyalty, or faith, adopt the leaders' vision. A leader can destroy the entire system by forgetting that it is a single person the followers are following, not a vision.