Volume XXII, Number 33 (Issue 1089) August 12, 2024
Followers Wanted
Last Wednesday I had the privilege of addressing the second-year students attending the School of Banking at Texas Tech University in Lubbock. My topic, as you might easily guess, was leadership. I opened my remarks with the following question, “To be a leader you must have __________?” and waited. Once someone broke the silence with “wisdom,” responses came in rapid succession. Specifically, I jotted down: respect, trust, integrity, vision, influence, ability to delegate, and empathy. Then came the answer I was waiting to hear, “followers.” No one can debate the merits of the first eight leadership qualities that were offered. However, without followers it is hard to characterize someone as a leader.
Sure, one might demonstrate leadership qualities and many individuals do possess things like wisdom, integrity, vision, and empathy. But if no one is falling in behind to follow their lead, a better label might be individual contributor, loner, sage, hermit, or advance man/scout. Yet even when someone can legitimately claim to have one or more followers, it still begs the question as to what type of leader is that individual? The answer lies in the next question I asked, “why does someone/anyone choose to follow a leader?” The game we played as children by that name notwithstanding, that question yielded the following responses from the class: respect, shared vision, successful, trust, accountable, good communicator (think charismatic), and no option. We might read that last suggestion as one or more of the three big fears: loss of face, place, or life. To this incredibly good list I added the term pecuniary as in mercenaries.
I clearly recall my first job out of college. The CEO was very driven. He was also very charismatic. To that we can add he had a clear vision of what he wanted to accomplish, although at my level, age, and lack of experience working for a large organization, there was little appreciation on my part for what that vision entailed or meant. The one thing I do know was that that CEO, like so many of his generation, operated from a command-and-control management style. It was his way or the highway. Thus, for me and a great many others, while there was a sense of pride associated with working for that organization given its reputation in the market, we also understood it was perform or else. Knowing I could ill afford to lose my job or my paycheck, I worked hard to meet the expectations that were set out for me.
Of course, that was a different era. Today’s workers and particularly those who hale from the two newest generations are looking for something vastly different.
Starting at the top of the organization, they want/expect leadership they can respect and trust. They want leaders who can articulate a powerful vision for the future. They want to work for an organization whose mission speaks to more than making money for the shareholders – there needs to be a purpose they can get behind. They want leaders who are ethical and who care about their people, customers, community, as well as the world in which future generations will live. They want to work for leaders who empower their people, and who put right before their personal paycheck.
Closer to home (their level), employees (followers) want supervisors, managers, (read: leaders) who care about them as individuals, who invest in them and their future, who speak the truth, who are fair (don’t play favorites), who provide regular, honest feedback about their job performance, give praise where praise is due, and who above all else have their backs. And, while they do crave regular feedback, what employees (and volunteers as the case may be) do not want is to be micro-managed or ruled by fear and intimidation.
While the above recitals about what people are looking for in/from their leaders is based on what we have learned through research, study, and practice, it is not intended to be a comprehensive list. Instead, the goal is to remind those who lead and those who would lead that for us to be successful, admired as leaders, and have followers (teammates and associates) who are loyal to the max, we must be of good character and lead as much with our heart as we lead with our words and intellect.
Soli Deo Gloria
“Do not consider his appearance or height, for I have rejected him; the LORD does not see as man does. For man sees the outward appearance, but the LORD sees the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7
J. Keith Hughey
Mobile: (210)260-0955
E-mail: keith@jkeithhughey.com
Website: www.jkeithhughey.com
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