Six Steps to Fulfilling 21 Irreconcilable Qualifications of Being an Effective Follower
Jarod,
I want to be a follower, and a damned good one at that. I'm a little tired of all the hype about 'leaders are made, not born' slogan and then running across so many less visionary people who are being treated to the same kind of leadership advertising. Many people our age don't value freedom to do whatever they want as highly as their parents did. Many of us want to be told what to do, but are conflicted about following the advice we're given. We're so confused about how to view the world and what step to take next. We're slow to make judgments, and are overwhelmed by the amount of information available to us. We are suspicious of a decline in our economy, and have a feeling of helplessness due to the fact that many of us never developed survival skills.
So what am I really talking about? What motivates me to write about this subject? I'm thinking about the guy who lives fully supported by Christians so that he can take high schoolers on elaborate wilderness adventures to teach them about leadership principles. I'm thinking about the fact the several Christian universities are now offering a Leadership major. I'm thinking about John Maxwell and the many books he has written about leadership qualities. I'm talking about our financial situation, and how we can afford to spend so much on training leaders and developing them, going to workshops, seminars, and wilderness adventures. The word 'leader' has been thrown around quite a bit, so I've laid out several ways I understand it. Leader- definition 1: someone who does something that other people do. definition 2: someone who initiates growth in others. definition 3: someone who has authority over others. definition 4: someone who starts a movement that others join.
Probably most of the leadership training creates leaders of the 1st and 2nd definition. One and two can definitely be learned, but three and four are probably unlearnable. It's too bad a distinction like this is not made when it comes to all the leadership hoo ha going on in the Christian subculture. We definitely always need people who are willing to step up and lead group discussions, or pastor a flock. But the great leaders that start movements who can find? I believe that when a great leader dies, for the most part the movement he began dies with him. The Leader and his movement are intertwined. That's life. And so, on the leadership movement, this is what I have to say: Please specify what you mean when you say 'leader'. And if you mean all aspects of leadership, this is what I have to say...If you really were meant to be a good leader, you would a) be observant enough to know the characteristics of a good leader, b) naturally surround yourself with other leaders who could teach you and train you, and c) basically understand people well enough to develop into leadership without the aid of many of the leadership resources available today. But that's just my naive opinion. Besides, there can only be so many leaders.
But I get excited when I think about the kind of spiritual authority that is over me as a believer. Of course I am under the Lord's authority, but perhaps I am also under the authority of the Saints. I consider a few present day Biblical scholars my authority, as well as people who modeled a lifestyle worth imitating. If I had a pastor, my pastor would be a spiritual authority, and also my peers are in authority any time they hold me accountable to my spiritual walk. There is a large need for small scale leaders who aid the Big Leader, but in the end they are actually followers, too. So, for those of us who are not leaders in the fullest sense of the word, here are some tips for Being an Effective Follower.
1. The Effective Follower is responsible for finding a good Leader. The followers are largely responsible if a bad leader rises to the top, because Followers choose the Leader. Often the Leader has such power that he/she chooses the Followers. But don't satisfy yourself with following a mediocre leader. Let's not be giving undue confidence to someone who shouldn't be a Leader. Sidenote: When Paul wrote, 'Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young...' he was talking to Timothy, not your son or daughter. Timothy was probably in his thirties and he was personally mentored by the Apostle Paul, the man who explained Christianity. Finding a good Leader to follow is huge because your ability to fulfill this requirement will effect the rest of these cheap, common-sense steps. If there is no good leader, then you and your group are a bunch of followers waiting to be led. That's fine, too. If you can't find anyone living and in your area to be your Leader, choose a saint to follow. I haven't done this, but it probably works. Try it and tell me how it went.
2. The Effective Follower serves the Leader. I know, I know, LEADERS are supposed to be the ones serving. But c'mon, the shock value of that statement has long since worn off. Leaders serve followers, followers serve leaders-it goes both ways. In the traditional model the follower was always the servant, not the other way 'round. Stop bitching and start following. It is always the King's choice to serve, and a good king usually chooses service. You can serve your leader by being available and aligning yourself with the purpose of the movement. Also, financially supporting your leader is a given.
3. The Effective Follower realizes the importance of his/her followership. You know, if there were no followers, there wouldn't even be any leaders. A good follower understands this, and understands why it is so important to fulfill step #1. Also, to be secure in your position of service and to be aware of your personal strengths and weaknesses and how they may aid the Leader gives that much more punch to the entire movement. If you are a follower, you are valuable because you contribute to the power of the Leader. If you have several friends within the movement, you can act together to give the Leader that much more power.
4. The Effective Follower is loyal to the cause of the Leader. This also ties back closely to #1. In fact, this should be #2 but I didn't think of it soon enough. If you are a good at observing people, you should be able to tell how loyal the Leader is to his/her own cause, and this will help reinforce your ability to be loyal.
5. The Effective Follower does not seek power or recognition. The Leader has the power, remember? The Leader has the power to distribute power. The Leader has the power to distribute recognition. Be patient. If you followed step #1 then you can trust the Leader. There can only be one Leader in a movement. Get really good at collecting resources and being useful so that you can implement those resources into the whole movement.
6. The Effective Follower bonds with other Effective Followers. Because the more followers you know, the more likely you are to stumble onto a great Leader, the kind you would want to follow. Also, Leaders love it when followers come in a pack.
So there you have it. Now go out there and be a great Follower.
What am I talking about? I'm not sure. I think the kind of Leader that I want to follow is a very rare thing, but I will find the movement, and when I do I probably won't believe it, and I'll step into skepticism to protect me from joining something worth being a part of. But here's to hoping that I'll have the confidence to join something bigger than myself and my little dreams!
I believe a leader and his cause are tied together. When the leader dies, the movement dies. Don't be afraid of this. Fresh movements are starting all the time.
Walking with more purpose,
Dave
