The Sunday Stoic: On the forgotten art of followership

Supporting a leader to achieve their goals is what we call "followership."?It's a concept that often gets ignored because our society and media are all about leadership. For example, Amazon has a whopping 60,000 books with "leadership" in the title, but only 378 on "followership." This is ironic because there are more followers than leaders in the world. So, why does this happen? What makes someone a great follower? And why do a team's success often depend more on its followers than its leaders? In this essay, we'll explore the often-neglected role of a good follower.

Followers are as important as leaders. Successful leaders, whether in business, politics, or any field, rely on teams to execute their plans. Take Steve Jobs, the iconic leader of Apple, for example. While he's credited with revolutionizing the tech industry, his success depended on a dedicated team of followers who turned his ideas into real products. Jobs recognized this, often saying, "Great things in business are never done by one person; they're done by a team." Good followers know their roles, work well together, and speak up when needed. Good leaders listen to their followers, appreciating their input, and make changes based on feedback. Ignoring followers can lead to failure of the team.

Every team needs structure. Whether it's a school club, sports team, or workplace, having a clear structure is important for things to run smoothly. However, sometimes there are more people who want to be in charge than there are leadership positions available. Once roles are set, everyone should stick to the plan. For instance, during the American Revolution, George Washington became the leader of the Continental Army, and other experienced army officers like Artemas Ward and Horatio Gates played their vital parts without competing for the top spot. This structure helped the military campaign stay focused and succeed. If everyone insists on doing things their own way, it can lead to chaos. In short, having discipline and clear roles in a team is vital for success.

Good leaders begin as good followers. Aristotle, an ancient philosopher (384-322 BC), wisely said, "He who cannot be a good follower, cannot be a good leader." This idea is clearly seen in the life stories of people like Warren Buffett and Margaret Thatcher. Buffett started as an apprentice under Benjamin Graham and became a successful investor. Thatcher, who came from a non-elite background, began as a party worker, then Member of Parliament, and later became the UK's first female Prime Minister. These individuals, born without famous last names or great wealth, thrived with the guidance of mentors, steadily rising to leadership positions. In Indic history, Chandragupt, a shepherd boy, achieved greatness through dedication to his teacher Chanakya (375-283 BC), founding the vast Mauryan empire. In short, great leaders often start as good followers.

Navigating followership can be tricky in our fast-paced world. To be a good follower, you need to trust others and believe that things will work out. But nowadays, with all the information on social media and online news, it's hard to figure out who and what to trust. Today, social media algorithms and online hype often push us toward temporary fads, leaving us feeling like we're going in circles without real progress. That's why many of us want to go back to timeless ideas that truly matter. One of the enduring ideas on followership is within Stoicism.

According to Stoics, being a good follower required patience, wisdom, and strength. They believed that true followership meant being in control of yourself, as Epictetus (50-135 AD) once said, "No man is free who is not a master of himself." For them, followers weren't merely passive spectators. They had the obligation of pursuing truth and ensuring accountability. Much like Socratic questioning, stoicism encourages active self-improvement at the level of the individual follower. For Stoics, a follower looked out for the whole team. Marcus Aurelius (121-180 AD), a Stoic emperor, explained this idea by saying, "What is not good for the beehive cannot be good for the bee." Put plainly, Stoics regarded leadership and followership like two sides of a coin - with both roles reinforcing and complementing each other in a harmonious partnership.

In closing, leaders and followers are closely intertwined. Teamwork isn't about the leader having all the answers; it's mostly about productivity and cohesion amongst followers. It's a reciprocal agreement: followers commit to giving their best, while leaders promise to manage the rest. This mutual understanding is the mantra of productivity. So, if you've typically been in the follower role, embrace it because you're a vital part of your team's success. Lastly, if you aim to become a good leader tomorrow, start by being a good follower today. I hope that these interesting insights will prove helpful as you continue to support your team in the coming week.

The views expressed in this essay are my own. They do not represent the views of any individuals, employers, or organizations I may be affiliated with. While I am not an expert in Stoicism, in my personal time, I find value in reading and writing about it for personal growth and self-reflection. If you have any thoughts on combining Stoicism and leadership, I welcome your input via LinkedIn messaging. And if you found this essay helpful, please share it on your LinkedIn profile to raise awareness about Stoicism. Thank you for supporting this essay series.