MANAGING people under you entails keeping an eye on your staff. Some of the things you need to do are to assign duties, create tasks, and, of course, expecting some kind of output in return.
In contrast, having followers is the clearest sign of a leader. Leaders have followers and supporters behind them rather than subordinates. People who work under a real leader are frequently inspired and motivated, and this is what motivates them to do their best at work.
When you have followers instead of subordinates, you'd find that they'd go above and beyond to help you reach your objectives, will stick with you through thick and thin and, most importantly, have faith in you.
Yet, you've probably never heard of a boss or other authority figure refer to his workers as "followers". They're usually called "subordinates". Why do these two words matter so much? Is it just a semantics issue?
The good news is you don't have to be a manager of others to be a leader. Everyone is a leader. In whatever we do, leadership is crucial and essential. Everywhere we look, we see leadership in action: in our family, in sports, at work, in our company, in our community, in our nation, and throughout the world.
THE DIFFERENCES
Social influence, not authority or power, is the source of leadership. Others are necessary for effective leadership, thus they don't necessarily have to be "direct reports". There are several leadership philosophies and techniques. It has a purpose, not just influence without any predetermined results.
John Quincy Adams nicely summed this up when he said: "If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you're a leader."
The term "subordinate" is frequently used in corporate settings. It denotes inferiority or a lesser status or rank. Subordinates follow instructions. They merely execute instructions given to them by their superiors without participating in any decision-making processes.
Additionally, because they're outside of the purview of their direct tasks, subordinates may or may not share an organisation's beliefs, vision or mission, even if they may execute their duties satisfactorily. In other words, they don't dedicate themselves to a company and don't show any inclination to use their job to advance the company's principles.
A PARTNER
The phrase "follower" is rare in a professional setting, be it to the average employee or leader. But this is where the meaning significantly differs. A worker who's a follower typically acts more like a partner than a subordinate. A follower is someone who voluntarily joins someone else's agenda or aims in light of common beliefs, values or aspirations.
Voluntary is the key word here. It refers to having an innate desire to do action. In other words, employees who voluntarily embrace their work do so because it has inherent worth for them.
Additional significant ramifications of this idea include the desire of a follower employee to spread positive words about the company among all stakeholders.
Such a worker is concerned about the choices the company makes. He/she appreciates the contribution they make to the accomplishment of the mission of an organisation, as well as the general organisational goals.
Zaid Mohamad coaches and trains others to bring out their best while enjoying a peaceful, purposeful life. Reach him at [email protected].
