Lead, Follow, or Get out of the Way!

Phew! It is Saturday again! The day that i can spend with myself abit more and review about what i have done and achieved for the past one week, and what to do for the coming week. Just came back from a morning long distance jog, and have been thinking of one thing - Am I a Mover or a Shaker at Work (Corporate world). Door of chances have been opened to me, so am I to Lead or to Follow? It is really impt to think through what we want in life..I have been thinking for past 1-2 years, but thoughts came stronger last few months.

Leaders don't always lead, and followers don't always follow. Sometimes, leaders have to follow while followers lead.

Team synchronicity means recognising your level of skill within any given group and knowing when to lead, when to follow, and when to get out of the way.

At work, people are categorised by designation into Leaders (Managers), Followers (Executives, Specialists,etc), and the support staff, which are often viewed as "non-critical" to the organization, although this is far from the truth.

However, at various times, any one may find that he holds more information and know-how than others. It could be something as simple as knowing the next expansion plans, the location of the next office, and how to find specific information from database system (i.e SAP system).

Often, people don't share this information, allowing the team or a project to stall even though they may have a solution. An employee may not have the confidence to say what he thinks, because he doesn't want to outshine someone of a higher rank, or because he is not paid enough. It's easier to moan, complain and blame someone else when things go wrong.

Regardless of the type of work you do, sharing what you know to accomplish a task raises you to an influential position. While everybody's knowledge and skills fit somewhere in the puzzle, you may be holding the most important piece. As the solution provider to any problem, you become a power in your own right.

Having said that, it doesn't really matter who did what when you truly believe that you are part of a team. Getting to the finish line is the Main Concern. Here, you would do well to remember Vidal Sassoons's famous slogan: ''If you don't look good, we don't look good."

Leaders who won't follow, and you know who they are, are the ones who are so afraid of losing their power that they would rather corner employees than let others know that they are struck. A fancy designation must never be confused with leadership. This leader will not be told what to do, listen to suggestions or take action, preferring to sit it out. When a situation deteriorates, he will find a scapegoat.

A true Leader must must be willing to listen, delegate, take advice and help staff overcome operational difficulties, as well as look into their development. Employees then will feel confident enough to step forward to spearhead new projects or procedures, knowing that the new boss expects them to exercise their autonomy in the organization. He needs to creates a culture of empowering employees to act with the understanding that they will be heard and their opinions respected.

Followers act under the authority of the leaders. However, they must not lose sight of the fact that they are responsible for their own careers, and hence, must act whenever given the opportunity to display their skills and leadership qualities. Today's followers can become Tomorrow's Leaders!

The key to all this is Self-Confidence. Everyone has a plan for their career future (if you don't have a plan, get started on one!) Knowing their next step, they will be open to and intuitive about their the opportunities that may come along. They position themselevs as potential leaders, are not shy about stepping up to the spotlight and be generous to colleagues with leads and informations. But you need to know also that there are no prizes for merely doing "a good job". Career futures are determined not being a 'good' worker, but by those flashes of brilliance that make you a star. I have written about this in my earlier posts, whereby my directors expect more from me. I have over this two years taken up opportunities and certainly believed to have done well for it, i.e. Technical Presentations to a group of 50 dealers and superiors, as well as executing an executive business presentation nearly perfect to a corporate visitor.

So, to Lead, Follow, or Get Out of the Way!
Think through it...cos only you have that answer.

Cheers,
Sean