Eight things a leader expects from an effective follower
Every effective leader knows that he is not a leader by himself; he recognizes the importance and contribution of the followers, for which he expects not only an executive contribution, but above all in terms of behavior and individual growth.
We list the most important.
A positive attitude
The job of a leader becomes easier when he has followers who have a positive attitude and a strong self-motivation, who feel they can do things, who accept responsibility and who aim for excellence in the tasks required.
Leaders value those people who take responsibility when they see something that needs to be done or a problem that needs to be solved.
An emotional self-awareness
A leader prefers followers with a strong sense of self-awareness to establish solid personal and work relationships with everyone.
An effective follower maintains self-discipline and self-control in stressful situations. He understands the value of everyone in the organization, treating others with respect and compassion.
Good followers learn to read people and understand what disturbs and motivates them.
A collaborative approach
In the organization, a leader is responsible for much more than the concerns, feelings and performance of each individual follower.
Every efface follower is part of a larger OKR system than the leader himself and should realize that his actions influence the whole, so collaboration is essential.
Leaders who have been good followers understand how to work with people to bring out the best in them.
A personal push to keep up with the times
Leaders need followers with an intrinsic motivation to know what is happening in the organization’s field of activity.
Furthermore, they want people to understand their customers, their competition and even how changes in technology or world events can affect the organization.
A passion for personal growth
A leader wants followers who seek to improve their growth rather than depend exclusively on the leader to do so.
Improvement efforts could include the desire for lessons or seminars, but there are many other ways in which people can guide their professional growth.
Anything that exposes an individual to new people and ideas can improve personal and professional development, or when a follower takes on difficult assignments, which demonstrates a willingness to face challenges, lengthen his limits and learn.
The courage to support the leader and challenge him constructively
Being an effective follower means having the courage to disagree if you think your leader, manager or superior is doing something wrong. It is not always easy, but it requires the courage and strength of conviction that are essential for good leadership.
Being a good follower is complicated in ways that are very similar to those for being a good leader.
It means being busy. It means paying attention. It means having the courage to speak when something is wrong and it means having the energy to support a leader or a manager who does things wisely and well.
A diplomatic and relational approach
When a good follower encounters an unpleasant or toxic leader, he probably won’t fight every battle for the common cause. Playing the “follower”, however, is easier, simpler and often less risky than being a leader.
Good followers learn how to get along with cultivating good relationships even with those who have differences without ignoring these differences.
This is also an important quality of leadership, because a leader or manager cannot afford to be oblivious to the attitude of those around him.
A boost to service
The concept of service does not refer to the position one possesses, but has to do with attitude towards others.
While they may not be aware of leadership practices and principles as a service, followers serve the needs of the organization and those they work with.
They must serve others when necessary, put others first and recognize teammates as such.