Good Leaders and Followers

This is a follow-up to my last post about the Future of Folkloristics conference. The conference participants talked about the skills of leadership and “followership.” Many people don’t think that they are, or can become leaders. They feel more comfortable as a follower.

I don’t have a problem with that, except the rules for good leaders and followers are exactly the same.

What do I mean?

Think about what makes a good leader. Here are a few traits:

• Empathy: Creating a legitimate rapport with co-workers makes it less likely that personal issues and resentment can creep in and derail the workplace. When your colleagues know that you are empathetic to their concerns, they will be more likely to work with you and share in your vision, rather than foster negative feelings.
• Consistency/Dependability: Being a consistent colleague is essential to building respect and credibility. Your colleagues need to know they can depend on you, and consistency is the primary way to do that.
• Honesty: Another characteristic of a good colleague that builds credibility and trust. People who are honest, especially about concerns, make it far more likely that obstacles will be addressed rather than avoided.
• Communication: Effective communication helps keep colleagues informed and allows everyone to feel like they are part of the larger mission of the organization.
• Flexibility: Not every problem demands the same solution. Being flexible to new ideas and open-minded enough to consider them increases the likelihood that you will find the best possible answer.

Think about that list. Which of these traits are less important for any member of a working group? I want everyone who works in my department to have those qualities, regardless if they are the head of a program or a brand new teacher.

Another thing to consider: with each of these characteristics, we often assume that people have these qualities, or they do not. Not so. It’s true, every person has their own set of strengths, but it’s equally true that these qualities can be learned.

There is one characteristic that all leaders have to have: vision. A vision the ability to break out of the here and now and aim for great things, and have the wherewithal to set the steps necessary to get there. By seeing what can be and setting the goals on how to get there, a competent leader can effect significant change.