InspirEmail

InspirEmail No 386 - May 2023 - Good leaders make good followers
'Inspirational messages to refresh the spirit and boost the emotional bank account'

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Good leaders are good followers

A young woman was filling out an application for college when she came across the question: Are you a leader? She thought she had better be brutally honest, so she answered, 'No.'

She was convinced when she sent the application in that she'd never hear from them because of that answer. But she received a letter back from the school that read: 'We have reviewed numerous applications and, to date, there will be some 1,452 new leaders attending school next year. We have decided to accept your application because we felt it was imperative that they have at least one follower.'

Should all of us be leaders all of the time? Isn't there a time to follow as well as lead?

One man likes to talk about the day he purchased a novelty sign and hung it on his office door. The sign read . . . 'I'm the boss.' The next day he came to work he noticed that the office comedian affixed a sticky note to his door that read, 'Your wife called. She wants her sign back.'

He may be the boss at work, but home is different altogether. In marriage and family as well as most social relationships, sometimes we lead and sometimes we follow the lead of another. If the so-called boss happens to be an effective leader at work, he or she has probably learned that getting their own way all of the time does not produce good results.

As it turns out, the best leaders are also excellent followers. Why?

  • Good leaders share leadership. They know when to follow and when to lead.

  • Good leaders build their skills on following role models for the behaviours they want to learn. What they admire in another, they copy.

  • Good leaders exhibit humility. They remain open to suggestion. When they need it, they ask for help and follow good advice.

In other words, good leaders are also good followers. They know when to follow in the footsteps of others and when to leave tracks of their own.

You may be the boss, but you will be a leader when you also learn how to follow.

Written by Steve Goodier
Learn more about the work on Steve Goodier at . . .  Life Support Systems >>>

May's Featured Positive Inspirational Story

Energy Vibes: Are You an Energiser or a Drainer?

Have you ever walked into a room and immediately sensed a shift in energy? It could be a colleague's beaming smile or an uplifting conversation that leaves you feeling invigorated and motivated. Alternatively, it could be a negative comment or a draining . . .  read more >>>


- Inspirational Quote -

Leadership is not a matter of authority, it is a matter of influence.
A true leader teaches others to understand more,
motivates them to be more and inspire them to become more
Michael Josephson

View more Inspirational Leadership Quotes >>>

 

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A monthly positive inspirational story and quote to refresh your spirit and boost the emotional bank account. InspirEmail was first published in November 2005 and each issue can be viewed in the Archived InspirEmail Directory located below the latest issue of InspirEmail


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