Is Followership Leadership?

In a recent Twitter chat, I posted this tweet:

Initially, I was surprised that it received so much attention. Upon further reflection, I realized that what resonated with people was the concept of "followership"- a term we rarely discuss. In fact, even after reading dozens of books and articles and participating in multiple chats about leadership, I can honestly say that I've only heard or seen the term used a few times as a passing thought about leadership. And because I don't consider myself as an intellectual, admittedly, my first thought was the song, Following the Leader from Peter Pan and the icebreaker game with the same title. 😄

He who cannot be a good follower cannot be a good leader. Aristotle

Followership is not the opposite of leadership. It is not blind obedience. The traits of effective followership closely match the traits of effective leadership. Followership and leadership are closely intertwined. We are all constantly seeking a balance between our role as a leader and our role as a follower.

Effective followers and effective leaders are often the same people playing different parts at different hours of the day. Bailey

A skilled follower complements the leader's vision and abilities. Complement comes from the Latin root complere which means "to complete."

If "followership" is so important for "leadership" why is it rarely discussed?

There are some misconceptions and stigmas attached to the term: follower. You won't find a list of "Followership Experiences" on anyone's resume. And your mom won't be boasting about how great of a follower you are to other family members and friends. You won't get a pay raise and most likely will never be recognized for being a great follower. In our culture, we often think of followers as minions or sheep who wait for instructions and do as they're told without any thought, skill, or influence. Some view followership as a stepping stone until they have a formal position, power, and authority. Others think of followers as being less than courageous and of those that have not "made it" yet.

But, a great leader isn't a leader without followers. The contributions of the followers largely determine the success of the leader. Reverend Paul Beedle said,

Followership is a discipline of supporting leaders and helping them to lead well. It is not submission, but the wise and good care of leaders, done out of a sense of gratitude for their willingness to take on the responsibilities of leadership, and a sense of hope and faith in their abilities and potential.

Excellent followership takes skill.

• Listening: An excellent follower develops and uses reflective listening skills to understand the vision of the leader. In a support role, a trusted follower can ask reflective questions that can help the leader avoid pitfalls and blind spots. 
• Trustworthiness: Leaders surround themselves with people whom they can trust. Followership is not being a "yes-man." An excellent follower has the courage to dissent in private and supports in public. A leader can count on an excellent follower to push their thinking. Followership is being competent and someone that the leader can count on to "get things done."
• Communication: An excellent follower communicates clearly with enthusiasm and high energy to other followers the direction that the leader is taking. They use their influence to spread positivity and hope.
• Collaboration: With the common goal in sight, an excellent follower builds a strong team. She models a strong work ethic, critical and creative thinking, risk-taking, innovation, and vulnerability.
• Servant Mindset: An excellent follower serves others with empathy and compassion. 

The list of followership skills and characteristics is long and closely matches any list of leadership skills. So, is followership demonstrating leadership? If it is demonstrating leadership, why are there thousands of leadership books and a scant few about followership?

I've been one to shout from the rooftops that everyone is a leader! I've encouraged others to "lead" and increase their circle of influence. But, should I be celebrating "followership" instead? Not everyone wants to lead. There are many people that have excellent followership skills that never recognize their value and contributions. They fail to recognize their leadership skills. So, is it all just a play on words and semantics?

It is the men behind who make the man ahead. M. Crowell

A successful man is one who can lay a firm foundation with the bricks others have thrown at him. D. Brinkley

The purpose of this blog is to process my own thinking. I'm far from being an expert on this topic. I have more questions now than answers. This post is a snapshot of where my thinking is today at this moment.

In my search for clarity, I read part of a book where the author is trying to dispel the negative stereotypes of the word, follower. The premise is that being a follower is enough. Followership skills should be developed and not with the destination of having a future leadership position.

From my own observations and experiences, there are many educators who never aspire to take on more formal leadership roles. Why? In education, the word "just" gets thrown around to devalue the contributions of committed people. I'm "just" a teacher, I'm "just" a secretary, custodian, teacher's aide or volunteer permeates our culture and perpetuates the idea that followership is less important than a formal leadership role. Would recognizing great followership skills in the same manner that we recognize leadership skills make a difference in how valued people feel? If they were able to recognize their followership skills, would that lead more down the path of accepting formal leadership roles?

I'm genuinely interested in this discussion. What are your thoughts?