Earlier this year, Bloomberg's Adrian Wooldridge authored an opinion piece that appeared in the Washington Post. You'll find it online in the June 20, 2022 edition:
Near the end of the column, the author asserted that "persuading people to put their trust in leaders again will be the work of decades, if it is possible at all in an internet-driven world." Perhaps the place to start is with rehabilitating the notion of the follower. Once society understands that being a follower isn't about rank or a personality type and, instead, is about fulfilling an important role, the work of rebuilding trust between leaders and followers can begin in earnest.
What is your understanding of the notion of a follower? Does it bring to mind thoughts of someone who is unmotivated or unwilling to accept responsibilities? If you are like most, that's precisely what you think. But in the discipline of leadership, the follower is defined by the role that he/she fills. And that means that effective followers assume responsibilities and display many of the same skills and competencies that are expected of effective leaders.
What would it take to change the common perception of followers? We'd love to hear from you!
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