All leaders have at least one follower, yet today’s leadership industry is built on the idea that leaders are superior to followers. This outdated thinking encompasses professionals in the military, business, family, and other relationships. People can browse courses, flip through books, attend workshops, and scan articles for information regarding leadership. From crooks to retired five-star generals, many people are curious as to how they gained success in their endeavors and popularity among their peers. 

Followership, those who choose their leaders carefully, are blatantly ignored as the topic of books, articles, and workshops. Limited research and articles regarding subordinates focus on their behavior in the context of leadership development as opposed to followers’…and oftentimes mistakenly assume followers are amorphous. For these reasons, deeply devoted followers are intertwined and categorized with those who loosely and mindlessly tag along.

To be an effective leader, it is imperative to pay attention to your followers. Know the difference between wants and needs, delivering both at your discretion. Moreover, it is always a good idea to incorporate the following strategies into your daily interactions.

Integrity: Keep your intentions pure and actions transparent. This opens a window for your followers to see your true objectives. Integrity is the choice between convenience and what’s right. Remind yourself and ask internally how your actions will be reflected to others.

Trust: Followers want to know, with complete absolution, that leaders are working for their best interest. Gaining complete trust allows leaders to unlock the potential within followers. With trust, you can achieve motivation and unification while acting as a guide with rationale. By elevating your team, they will work more efficiently, which lets you focus on other things.

Influence: To gain the ever-important trust, you must first use your position to transfer your ideas into the hearts of your followers. Messages are important, but deliveries are even more effective. Influence leads to trust and encompasses integrity; it’s not just about what you say, it’s about what you actually do. Leaders can influence by example and those who stand out influence by showing their actions always equal their words.

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Written by the digital marketing staff at Creative Programs & Systems: www.cpsmi.com.