Leadership Through Following
Nick Avaria
Fractional COO for Agency Owners Above $50k MRR. Scaled my agency to $10M ARR in under <3 years. DM me ‘SCALE’
“I must follow the people. Am I not their leader?” —Benjamin Disraeli
In some cases taking control of a situation is the worst thing you can do. There are times to blaze ahead on your white steed, armor and sword shining from the polished metal as the cavalry follows you. However, there’s a lot to be said about leading from inside or behind your team. Leadership is situational and reading the situation in these changing times is everything. Can you really take in the full picture while you charge ahead front and center? When you lead by following you give yourself the best vantage point of all, you are in the back, on the mountain top, and can see everything that’s happening. If done right you can even anticipate everyone’s moves.
So what are the advantages of leading from the behind the crowd?
• Better vantage point: You can see the layout of all the pieces like a chess board. You have more time to think things out and everything becomes clearer. You can think many moves ahead.
• You are not caught in the fray: By putting some distance between yourself and the crowd you can be objective. You are then prepared to settle disputes and keep everyone focused.
• You empower others: People need to be and feel self-sufficient. By standing back it lets them get take ownership of their actions.
• Less struggle: In situations where others have equal or more formal power it’s sometimes best to take a step back. Struggling for power is not productive.
Leadership types and strategies are situational. The following are examples of times when leadership through following works.
• When others have more formalized authority than you. By aggressively taking charge of the situation you risk a blowout. You can instead look a few steps ahead and empower the formal leader.
• When you know that there needs to be someone with a objective opinion.
• When others have expertise in a specialized field.
• When you are training or coaching others allow them to figure out the answers for themselves.
Great leadership is about doing things in the most positive way possible while still being efficient and effective. We have to remember that to be an inspiring leader we have to set aside our ego. When we do so, we can be objective and see situations clearly. There’s a time for everything. Sometimes a person needs a kick in the pants and at other times we need to take a back seat and let others lead. Doing the right thing in the right situation is what great leaders do.
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10yI appreciate where the article points out what type of perspective a leader can have from the back as it were. Being able to see all the "chess pieces" is advantageous. I have learned recently that it behooves a leader to be able to step back to gain clarity. What's more, if a leader is to have vision, doesn't he need to "see" the whole picture? You can only see so much from the front. Thanks for the read Nick!
Chair, NED, Consultant.
10yGood post. I would emphasise the initial point that "Leadership is situational". Knowing when to 'stand front & centre', when to observe & reflect or when to coach is a key leadership skill. In my own experience working with organisations in Europe, Asia & Africa, local culture (in both the national & organisational sense) is an important factor in determining what leadership style is most appropriate. So too is the state of development of the organisation and the degree of progress of any change being undertaken.
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10yThe sentiment is admirable, just don't mention it in your next interview if you really want the job. Most especially if they also ask you " If you could be any animal....."
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10yI couldn't agree more. I recenlty posted an article on Linked In about the L.I.F.E. of Leadership, "F" being: Following Adherently. Leaders who have faith in their followers are only creating future leaders to carry on the cause after their tenure. Leaders create great disciples who turn into great leaders is a natural evolution when done correctly. Check out my page to see the remaining qualities of L.I.F.E.