True leaders create leaders, not followers

Some people believe that leaders need followers. But we disagree. 

We believe that:

True leaders create more leaders, not followers.

When times are stable, having an organisation under the direction of one individual or a small leadership team can bring focus and momentum. It turns the organisation into a supertanker: with all its resources moving at the same speed, in the same direction, and all controlled by a single hand on the wheel.

But when times are churning, the ability to adapt becomes paramount. Now the inability of a supertanker to turn becomes a liability. And an organisation filled with followers finds its ability to change and adapt is limited by the capacity of the leader or leadership team to change and adapt. And no one has the time or the knowledge to find the best solution to every issue that arises.

In a time of change, leaders who create followers become bottlenecks: they choke the adaptability of their organisation.

But a leader who teaches people to lead themselves increases the ability of each individual to handle change. That increases the ability of the organisation as a whole to handle change. And a leader who becomes antifragile, and teaches others to become antifragile, makes the whole organisation antifragile: able to use change to become stronger and more valuable.

Leaders who create more leaders turn their organisations from supertankers into fleets of speedboats. Each is powered by their own inspiration and enthusiasm. All are aligned around their shared purpose and direction. And each is able to dodge any obstacles and pursue any opportunities that arise, without the need for constant guidance from the bridge.

In a time of change, leaders who create more leaders expand the capacity of their organisation to adapt. That makes it stronger and more valuable. 

Do the people around you encourage you to lead yourself or to follow them? What do you encourage in others? Six months from now will it be more useful or less useful to be among people who don’t simply follow but can lead themselves to do what needs to be done? What are you doing to prepare for that?

Adapted from Inner Leadership: a framework and tools for building inspiration in times of change.

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(And remember: you can’t learn to swim just by reading about swimming, you also need to do the practice.)

Photo By Aramis Funkographer via StockPholio.net