Follow The Leader
We rarely want to be led, but we’ll gladly follow.
I’ve come across many people who are leaders just by title. They are “the boss”, and we do what they say because they have authority over us. But I bet nobody would follow them willingly. There are also many people, sometimes even at the lower levels of an organization, who don’t have any kind of authority but are true leaders. The key difference between them is that the latter choose to look after the people at their side. Or using Simon Sinek’s words:
“We call them leaders because they go first, because they take the risk before anybody else does, because they will choose to sacrifice so their people will be safe and protected.”
To me, this is what a leader is. Someone I would gladly follow.
It’s hard enough to be a leader as it is, but being a leader in the creative industries it’s probably harder. At least that’s what my short experience has taught me. Creative people think for themselves, are stubborn about their ideas and very passionate about their work. They rarely want to be led by others.
I was 25 years old when I first saw myself in a real leadership position. I was named comOn’s Head of Social Media and was given the responsibility to build the social media department from the ground up. It was a blank canvas, which was a good thing because I was able to shape the department to my liking, but it also meant I needed to have a crystal clear vision (and sticking to it). Another issue was my age. After hiring several people, I saw myself leading a team of 6 social managers, all older and more experienced than me.
After 4 years leading the Social Media team one thing became clear to me: being in charge doesn’t make you a leader. You’re a leader when people choose to follow you — even when they have a choice not to.
It might be true that creatives don’t want to feel led. But they maybe willing to follow. To follow someone who inspires them to be better. So maybe we could start calling it followship instead of leadership. Followship is focusing on the one who follows, not the one who leads. The leader should be the one serving others, and not the other way around.
“The leader isn’t the key, the leader is just the key-hole. The leader offers a vision, but it is up to the followers to unlock the potential of that vision.” — John Stewart
1. Followship is about having a clear vision.
Most creative people are not about jobs anymore, they’re about callings. So setting the dream is crucial. If you want them to follow you make sure you have a clear vision, a clear purpose and clear goals. A vision inspires and empowers people. It lets them make decisions by themselves. It gives them the ability to decide what is important and the confidence to keep going.
But a vision is not a purpose. A vision says ‘I know what is going to look like when it’s done’. A purpose says ‘I know why I’m doing this, what problem we are solving’. A good example is McClaren’s vision: “Make the car go faster”. It’s a brilliant vision because it’s simple, objective and very visual. It works for everyone in the company. From the mechanic to the CEO.
Great leaders set the stage by raising the bar and removing the noise.
2. Followship is about being more essential but less involved.
One of the most difficult things for leaders is changing from a doing mindset to a leading mindset. A person with a leader’s title tries do it all himself, while a real leader is able to delegate effectively.
Delegation requires a network of people who can easily fill in for the leader. People who will help him drive change and make things happen. Leaders will know if they’re in the right path when they start feeling almost unnecessary (to the execution of the task at least).
Great leaders know that it isn’t about them anymore. It’s about the team.
3. Followship is about making people feel safe.
If leaders want us to follow them, they need to create an environment where we feel protected. When we feel afraid, we spend our time and energy trying to protect ourselves from each other. But when we feel safe inside a company, it’s much easier to combine our talents and work together to achieve common goals. Leaders provide opportunities and education, but also discipline when necessary. They help build our self-confidence and make room for our mistakes, hoping that one day we can achieve much more than they ever did.
Great leaders are like parents, they give us the confidence to try and the safety to fail.
4. Followship is not a popularity contest.
As a leader, not everybody will like you. Sometimes most people won’t like you. Get used to it. It’s true that charismatic leaders often fascinate people but, over time, effectiveness is what really counts.
Great leaders know that the choice between popularity and effectiveness is ultimately no choice at all.
These brief words are my attempt to synthesize some of the things I learned about leadership so far. There’s a lot more to learn, I know.
I know, for example, that isolation is a problem of mine. I have a tendency to be a “lone wolf”. Someone who tries to solve things by himself when things get tough. Most of the times I’m too benevolent, and will avoid confrontation if possible. I also expect a lot from myself, and very little from others.
My current challenge is creating a network of trusted people who can help me make things happen. I know now that I won’t be able to do it all myself. I need to find a way to motivate those people to take action and make the right decisions for themselves. I need to be asking for their help more often. I need to be more leader, and less doer. And the only way that this will happen is if I connect more deeply with each person. If I’m less isolated, listen more and pay more attention to them.
Thank you for reading.
I’m Filipe Macedo, a Strategist and CMO at comOn, an independent full service marketing agency from Lisbon. I’m available for speaking — see here the topics I usually address. Thanks!
