The Tribune

By Michelle Miller

A new year ignites many things, like new ways of thinking, new goals and ways in which to move forward. Many folks desire to move in a new direction and believe there’s a need for a new kind of leadership to facilitate this transition.

What many may not recognise is that great leadership however, is only the by product of great follow-ship. To be a great leader, you must first know how to be a great follower. Quality followers make quality leaders, literally and figuratively.

But how do you define quality? One key word that sets the tempo of what quality is or is not is the word ‘Standards’. Setting standards is the key to quality evaluation. The greatest challenge in meeting the desire for a new kind of leadership is unravelling the standards of follow-ship. Alas, people become so emotionally fixated on criticizing leadership; they seldom consider the role and responsibilities of their follow-ship. It’s as if followers hold no responsibility to their own well-being. As such, they knowingly or unknowingly out source their sense of direction to whosoever may.

Here are few critical questions to ponder: What leadership qualities are important to you? Whom do you look to for leadership? Do they possess such qualities? Are they leading you in the direction you desire your life to go? If not, why are you following?

Yes, leadership comes with responsibility and so does follow-ship. The notion of blindly following anyone, anywhere at any time, reflects a lack of respect for the value of your follow-ship. You must respect that your follow-ship holds value and you must carefully choose whom you will or will not follow.

A deeper issue is that many followers simply do not see themselves as leaders. They truly believe that someone ‘out there’ is better able to direct their lives than they are. So, they are quick to surrender themselves to whosoever call themselves a leader.

Just to contextualize this point, bear in mind that leadership is an expansive subject matter. Titles and position do not automatically equip you with leadership qualities no more than having hundreds of Facebook and Twitter followers makes you a leader. Leadership is a muscle that must be developed.

Anyone who is willing to develop the skills and confidence can learn to be an effective leader. Even if you are not necessarily in a so-called ‘leader position’, nothing is stopping you from building your leadership capacity. When you understand what leadership is – you are better able to discern what it is not.

This popular free for all notion of indiscriminately following anyone, anywhere, anytime without regard is the core challenge facing the desire for a new kind of leadership. When follow-ship steps up, leadership will follow suit.

As such, leadership in this time of fickle focus and diluted ideals requires an effective edge. To lead the future begins by learning from the past and maximizing the present. That old habit of looking ‘out there’ for leadership must give way to a new habit of looking ‘in here’. You must find the audacity to unleash your leader within

Indeed, engendering a new kind of leadership for this brand new year of possibility is about reaching higher. Every powerful vision requires loftier goals, effective strategies and a clear plan of action.

Those who find themselves in positions in which others look to them to lead must come to know that ‘real’ leaders lead others to lead themselves. Leading others only to ensure your own personal veneration amounts to an enormous ego-trip.

To get more from your life, be willing to give more to your life. Begin by being more discriminate in your follow-ship. Leader to leader, you already have the power within to march towards your greatness.

Make today the day that you begin to unleash your leader within. Email loftiergoals@gmail.com.

• Your feedback has great value; please write to coaching242@yahoo.com or text 429-6770. Michelle M. Miller is a certified Life-Coach, Leadership Expert, and Host of the Radio program – Men & The e-Factor. www.leader2leaderalliance.com or snail mail to P.O. Box CB-13060.