Going where the wind blows: Are you an effective leader or follower?

By Michelle Liew

“I'm a leader, not a follower. Unless it's a dark place. Then you're going first.” - Unknown

This quote definitely tickled when I read it. It reflects the exact nature of the concept of leadership and followership. And it can be described thus.

Many of us have deep desires within us to become leaders with others following our words to the letter. The notion evokes a sense of power and esteem that can be incredibly hard to resist.

There are also many who prefer to follow another person’s lead, letting it take them where they are supposed to go.

A more than moderate number are straddling the fence and can be either leaders or followers as determined by the situation.

What are the good qualities of leaders? What makes a good follower? What is the difference between them? We are all different individuals who have different styles of either leadership, followership or both.

We embrace leadership or followership, being either the wind or leaves that are blown by it. The good qualities of both enable the holistic, efficient functioning of a group or organization.

The answers to this question may vary because everyone brings different opinions of what makes a good leader to the table. As such any of the terms here are not meant to be definitive or exhaustive. There are some things, though, that many would agree are essential characteristics of a good leader.

Leaders are initiators.

Leaders are the ones who would get a project or for that matter, anything started. The set things in motion and determine the flow of events.

Leaders are drivers.

Leaders provide the driving force to get things done. It is not impossible to imagine that without anyone doing so, life would come to a standstill!

If an organization were to have no one driving things forward, projects would not come to fruition. Needless to say, it would crumble.

Leaders are fear free.

They do not let fear or a setback paralyze their desire to put their ideas into motion. Good examples are Aung Sang Syu Ki and Mahatma Gandhi, dynamic political influences in their respective countries despite nasty political confrontations, arrests and for Ghandi, ultimately death.

Leaders innovate.

Leaders dare to innovate. They try new things and are not afraid when these meet with some sort of failure. They know that it only means a little re-routing!

Leaders embrace change

Leaders know that change is our only constant. They are willing to adapt, depending on the surrounding circumstances and usually do it swiftly,when necessary.

A good example is when I was co-organizing a concert with several other teachers. One of them was a gentleman who picked up the pace very quickly when it was found that the costumes of several choir members were missing. A quick organizer, he immediately adapted and got a few rented costumes delivered.

Leaders take responsibility.

Leaders are willing to assume responsibility when situations go awry. They bear the consequences of their actions and are not ones to try to waive themselves of responsibility when the crunch comes.

They are clear.

Good leaders are clear about desired results, know what they want to achieve and how to get it.They are also clear in communicating intentions to others.

Everyone dislikes a leader who does not make it a point to tell his followers what his intentions are, then assigns blame when these are not followed to the letter.

Leaders are humble.

The quiet driving force of Mahatma Ghandi and the gentle, inspiring humility of Mother Theresa made them unquestionable sources of inspiration. The absence of narcissism in their leadership style drew them admiration, respect and made them hallmarks of what leaders are meant to be.

Leaders are good followers themselves.

Good leaders are themselves excellent followers. Willing to forgo ego, they are focused only on outcomes and are willing to assist accordingly in order to help someone else achieve them.

Interestingly, there are different ways in which a leader sets the tone for things to come. Different styles would be agreeable with different people. Like them or not, their styles have their effectiveness depending on the situation.

The Pace Setter

The pace setting leader utilizes modelling and excellence. He wants good results and expects

others to adopt his methods. He is the wind who expects the leaves to follow the direction in which he blows, in his way.

While good for followers who need examples but who are themselves already skilled, this style of leadership can quench innovation.

The Authoritative Leader

The authoritative leader leads others towards a common vision but leads leaves the means to the individual to achieve it. He is the wind who does not expect leaves to lift in the exact manner which he blows.

This style of leadership does not really work when the leader in question is leading a group of people who are experts in their own right and have very different opinions about how things should be done. The result of his leadership in such a situation would, unsurprisingly, be friction and lack of cohesion.

A Principal in a school I taught in embraced this style of leadership. He wanted the school to become a niche in a certain area of education. Many teachers felt that it cramped their style, especially when the niche area was not one they were comfortable with.

The Motivator

The motivating leader works with praise and encouragement. He has a feel good approach that

makes his followers feel at ease. The wind who blows soothingly, leaves can be a tad too comfortable in the midst of his draft.

This style of leadership can sometimes give a false impression of a person’s deficiencies and cause him to fall to mediocrity, not wanting to break out of the comfort zone.

The Coach

The coach is a leader who tries to develop the personal strengths of others. He tries to get people out of their comfort zones, innovate and change for the better. He is the wind who always gives the leaves a slight push when he blows.

He may not work well as a leader with followers who are resistant to change.

The Coercive Leader

The leader who employs coercion expects others to follow his lead unquestioningly. This is a style most effective in times of emergency because it helps to assure people who are in need of direction. When he blows, his force is compelling and leaves have no choice but to go with the draft,

However, it should be avoided at other times because it alienates and fails to motivate. Leaders like Hitler, of course, come to mind.

The Democrat

The Democrat is a leader who depends heavily on participation. He seeks the opinions of others in order to get them to buy into his leadership in a particular situation. He is not the most effective leader for those who need guidance and are uninformed to give opinions. He is the wind who asks the leaves, “How do you wish to be blown?”

I used to teach in a school whose Principal used to work with his staff in this manner. The result of her leadership was individuals all trying to establish projects that were not thought through thoroughly.

Followers make up a vast majority of us. A good follower has certain traits that make him effective and allow him or her to work well with others.They are the leaves that drift smoothly when the wind blows. So what enables him to do so?

A good follower has good interpersonal skills.

A good follower is outgoing and gets along well both with his leader and other members of the group. He or she truly enjoys the company of others and working with them.

A good follower is responsible.

A good follower has a sense of responsibility. He knows that things have to be done in order for necessary outcomes to be achieved.

A good follower is a team player.

A follower puts the interests of the team first and is willing to work towards achieving the aims of the group. The same humility inherent in a good leader is also present in a good follower; his maxim is Others before Self.

A Follower is patient.

Good followers are patient with other members of the group, including the leader, where there are problems achieving desired goals. He or she allows everyone the time to adjust and reinvent when necessary, and is willing to make necessary changes himself.

A good follower is perceptive.

A good follower knows the needs of others before he is even asked and does what is necessary to fulfill these needs. He is observant and sensitive.

A good follower is trustworthy.

Good followers are trustworthy individuals on whom the leader and the rest of the group can depend to accomplish tasks.

A good follower challenges when necessary.

A good follower has a voice. He is definitely not one to submit when necessary. Where are problems with the group’s or leader’s vision, a good follower is willing to ask questions to make necessary changes.

Just as there are many leadership styles, followers adopt different styles when it comes to taking direction. Some are undoubtedly less apt than others.

The Contributor

The follower who is a Contributor focuses on doing a job well, but does not make the effort to really form good relationships with anyone in authority. He is the leave who will be blown with a little resistance.

While this is good for achieving outcomes, problems arise with working together with the leader and with the rest of the group which in itself contradicts with achieving the goals desired.

The Politician

Focusing solely on interpersonal relationships, the Politician is not one who is extremely popular with the group, though he may be with leaders. Not focusing on his ability to get things done, the Politician is the leaf who searches avidly for the wind’s draft and depends on his interpersonal skills to cover his deficiencies. This can be quite damaging for group outcomes.

The Subordinate

The Subordinate is the stereotypical leaf who “goes where the wind blows.” He does what he is told and seldom takes the initiative to form relationships with the leader or the rest of the group.

A complete lack of questioning is not good when directions given are inappropriate or even dangerous for any desired outcomes.

The Partner

The ideal follower, the Partner works together well with the leader and the rest of the group to achieve the group’s aims. He questions when necessary and is the leaf that is blown by the wind’s draft when it is appropriate, making necessary contributions to the group.He provides a balance when things are askew by asking the necessary questions. Partner Followers are often Leaders-in-Waiting.

An ideal situation is when Leaders and Followers become partners for the good of all. Good Leaders will take Followers’ needs and opinions into consideration and know how to hone them to achieve the aims of the group. Good followers would work in tandem with the leaders to

work toward common goals. When the wind and leaves move in the same direction, in accord, they arrive at the desired destination with good results.

A Terza Rima is a poem made of stanzas of (three lines) that follow a specific rhyming pattern. The last syllable of the second line of the first stanza will be rhymed with the first and third lines of the second stanza. What follows is this sequence:

A-B-A (1st stanza), B-C-B (2nd stanza), C-D-C (third stanza).

You can make as many tercets in the poem as you deem fit!

Do enjoy this little Terza Rima on the topic of the attributes of leaders and followers.

As the wind must blow,

Its leading gust must guide,

That lifted leaves may know.

For leaves to lift, they must not hide

When the wind deals His gust

Not blindly abide

The wind blows,rootedness must,

For In its guiding squall,

Leaves place comforted trust

The gust recedes, force takes fall

The leaves pick up the pace

Band for good of all

Both in tandem, wind and leaves ace,

Both take better form,

When each knows his place.

Leaders and Followers should work in agreed tandem to achieve an agreed vision. Only then can the leaves and the wind move to and arrive at desired destinations.

I would like to thank those who answered the question “What are the differences between followers and leaders?” Do pay these writers a visit!

Original Work

Michelle Liew Tsui-Lin

All Rights Reserved