Positive Inspirational Stories
Featured Inspirational Story November and December 2014
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 tell 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 has probably learned that getting his own way all of the time does not produce good results.
As it turns out, the best leaders are also excellent followers. Why?
1. Good leaders share leadership. They know when to follow and when to lead.
2. Good leaders build their skills on following role models for the behaviours they want to learn. What they admire in another, they copy.
3. 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
- Inspirational Stories
- Finding a Forever Home
- Grandma's Thimble
- When you thought I wasn't looking
- Left Behind
- Enjoy your nectarine
- The Old Phone . . . How do you spell fix?
- You make a difference
- Lessons from Geese
- The Richest Man in the Valley
- The Making of a Memory
- Wings
- Why The Elephants Dont Run
- The Sandpiper . . . to bring you joy
- They don't walk in your shoes . . . Click, Click, Click!
- The Happiest Day of My Life
- Courage - Despite the Odds
- You just never know
- Learning to Listen
- If it is meant to be, it will be
- The Learning Tree
- The Red Marbles
- The Weeds of Our Lives
- The Distinct Sound of Purring
- Flowers for the Teacher
- The Red Ribbon
- Santa's Love
- All The Good Things
- Yusuf - He's My Brother
- Extra Good Luck
- Hoo Hoo Fraks
- Stand tall like the Sunflower
- Unique Words of Forgiveness
- I Got Back On My Seat
- Brick Wall
- White Envelopes
- Love and Music in Their Hearts
- Birthday Cards with Secret Codes
- Gift Exchange - lessons about life!
- When the message light doesn't blink
- Tenant Farmers
- I know you by heart
- In Clay Vessels
- Letting Go
- When the nest emptied
- When the birdies came
- Broken Eggs and Shattered Glass
- After the applause, make time for words of praise!
- Are you a bucker filler or a dipper
- Choosing Confidence
- The Stone Soup Story
- A Mother's Job
- Hugging Life
- The Perfect Partnership
- Acknowledging a Special Treat
- A Different Perspective
- Life is meant to be lived
- Treasured Traditions
- Rules for a better way to live
- I Just Get Started
- Memories sustain us on Father's Day
- Creating Opportunity
- Forgiving without condoning or forgetting
- Nothing is long or short, hot or cold, good or bad!
- The Power of Discipline
- Sentry of the Homestead
- You deserve an Academy Award!
- All in the Family
- What is your Passion?
- We danced through life
- A choice to make
- Five ingredients of personal growth
- Acres of Diamonds
- If you look like a duck . . .
- The Secret of Happiness
- Harvesting Love
- It's music to your ears
- A Special Brand of Luck
- They are just empty cars
- Thou Art An Eagle
- Encouragement Works
- When you're in the cement mixer
- Plant Annually
- Life and Its Legs
- No Barriers in Life
- Getting Started
- Good Leaders are Good Followers
- How much do you want it to be
- How to improve your vision
- What forgiveness will buy
- Why let that hold you back
- Letting the yeast work its magic
- 9 things that make good employees quit
- The Beginning of Positive Thinking
- Giving Back
- May you be known by your love
- Expand your vision of possibilities
- We are meant for the skies
- Mr Belser died last night
- Are you dead on the job
- What makes us happy
- Motivating Others
- The clock is running so make the most of today
- Calming the muddy waters
- Keeping New Year's Resolutions - the secret additive
- You are unique
- Web of Love
- Is happiness around the corner
- Seeing Life Through New Eyes
- An enriching action
- The Road to Significance and Success
- The real purpose of your life
- With leadership its the little things that matter
- The Obstacle in our Path
- Good deeds no matter how small can change the world for someone
- Accepting responsibility has its rewards
- An Inspiring Thanksgiving
- The Ever-Flowing Spiral of Love
- Clementine - My Very First Dog
- The Little Nail
- His Greatest Treasure
- Their love comes with no strings and has no boundaries
- Three Simple Words that Change Everything
- Words
- Thank You
- Moral Courage - The Engine of Integrity
- The Person in a Different Skin
- Believe In Your Ideas
- I'll Never Complain Again
- You Are Wonderful!
- The Value of Knowledge
- Living In Gratitude
- No Regrets
- The words we love to hear
- On this Day
- Some thoughts on Living
- If You Were Arrested for Kindness
- Attitude over Circumstances
- Gifts From the Heart
- You Are
- Energy Vibes - Are You an Energiser or a Drainer
- The words we love to hear
- Here lived a great street sweeper who did his job well
- After all I've said and done
- Some Important Don'ts
- The Little Nail