Knowing how to follow is not just an important skill for employees and lower-rung managers. It is an indispensable leadership skill. The greatest leaders all start as good followers. A person who does not know how to follow is unfit for leadership.

“Lead me, follow me, or get out of my way.” – George S. Patton.

A Good Follower Makes a Great Leader

Great leaders are also great followers. The greatest leaders in history developed their inner core by first learning to follow. Followership cultivates empathy, self-awareness, and the willingness to serve others, building the foundation for intelligent leadership.

The worst leaders in history may have never learned to appreciate the other side of the coin. Failing to understand what it is like to follow, they become tyrants incapable of compassion, empathy, or cooperation.

A leader who doesn’t embody the qualities of a good follower can face significant challenges in building trust and connection with their team. Successful leaders understand the value of humility and empathy, qualities that great followers naturally exhibit. Leaders who lack good follower skills may risk alienating team members, creating a divide that undermines team cohesion and performance.

In any leadership role, the ability to follow when needed fosters an environment where feedback is valued and trust can flourish.

Leaders who embrace great follower qualities gain the respect and loyalty of their teams, which is crucial for long-term success. Conversely, leaders who overlook these traits may struggle to inspire, leaving team members disengaged and morale low.

Understanding followership is foundational for leaders. It enables them to build a culture of respect, openness, and collaboration, which is essential to high-performance teams.

Great leaders know when to step aside and follow. 

Following is a Leadership Skill

Leadership coaches know the ability to follow is an essential leadership competency. Good followers possess a strong sense of identity. They know their strengths, weaknesses, and limitations. Their self-awareness allows them to surround themselves with people who complement their abilities.

In my Wheel of Intelligent Leadership, the outer core represents the competencies and skills leaders need to empower their teams and inspire collaboration. However, these skills must align with a leader’s inner core—values, humility, and emotional maturity. Following when necessary allows leaders to nurture their inner core, strengthening their ability to lead with empathy and purpose.

Effective leadership relies on the skills of others to achieve the desired outcome.

It is the nature of leadership. The leader does not exist in isolation. The idea of a single person taking all the responsibility, blame, and rewards is ludicrous and incompatible with the concept of intelligent leadership.

The Impact of a Good Leader on Team Dynamics

A good leader is the cornerstone of any successful team, setting the tone for trust, respect, and shared purpose among team members.

A leader’s ability to build trust within the team is essential for fostering an environment of open communication and alignment. A great leader doesn’t merely oversee tasks. They engage each team member, valuing their unique strengths and empowering them to contribute to a collective vision.

When team members feel valued and aligned with their leader’s goals, their sense of purpose intensifies, creating a robust and unified team dynamic.

A good leader nurtures these dynamics by recognizing individual strengths, addressing challenges, and promoting collaboration, which keeps the team on the right path toward success.

Effective leadership is less about command and control and more about guiding the team toward shared achievements and collective growth.

This alignment and trust-building improve morale and drive sustainable performance, creating a team that feels empowered, resilient, and ready to meet any challenge.

Follower Skills that Translate Well to Leadership

Like great leaders, great followers share characteristics that set them apart. Good followers:

• Know their roles. Good followers understand that everyone has a leader regardless of position. While some people detest any trace of authority, good followers embrace their roles in the leader-follower ecosystem.
• Take orders. Orders are an act of obedience, and as such, they may not be politically correct. However, they are an essential component of the leader-follower dynamic. Leaders who can’t take orders should never give them to others.
• Are loyal. Great followers understand they form a team with their leader. They are on the same side of the proverbial barricade. They don’t speak ill of their leaders even though they may disagree.
• Take pleasure in serving. Being a productive member of an effective team requires followers to be observant. Good followers notice ways to help common causes and take action without being asked. Leadership coaching professionals know this trait is indispensable for servant leadership.
• Are humble. A good follower understands the notion of “team effort” and does not look to claim credit at every opportunity. Humility is a trait intelligent leaders need as well. They accept responsibility for failures and make it clear that the team is responsible for success.

Great Leaders Must Model Followership

As I have made clear in my leadership coaching books and blog posts, leading by example is one of the central tenets of intelligent leadership.

As a business coaching professional, I aim to make leaders understand the importance of modeling desired behaviors.

Leading by example is a hallmark of intelligent leadership. 

How can leaders model followership to their employees? By:

• Showing humility. By showing humility, leaders gain access to the collective wisdom of their teams. In asking team members to teach them their work, leaders build lasting and meaningful connections, empowering their team members and improving their organizations at the grassroots.
• Involving followers in decision-making. Leaders can submit their agendas to company votes. Although indirectly, this approach allows all stakeholders to have a say in decision-making.

Following is an essential leadership skill. He who does not know how to follow should not lead.

Studying Great Leaders: Unlocking Potential through Executive Coaching

One of the most powerful ways to enhance one’s leadership role is to study great leaders and observe how they blend authority with empathy and adaptability.

Learning from the best leaders allows emerging leaders to adopt proven strategies for managing teams and building trust.

Through executive coaching, leaders can develop their inner core—character, humility, and emotional discipline—while refining outer-core skills like collaboration and communication. I also use tools like the Leadership Enneagram to help leaders identify areas where they can embrace followership more effectively, fostering trust and alignment within their teams.

Leaders who actively seek mentorship and insights from great leaders grow into more effective, adaptable, and resilient leaders themselves.

By examining the actions and mindsets of exceptional leaders, they gain a clearer understanding of how to inspire and empower their team members.

Executive coaching supports leaders in translating these insights into daily practices, transforming them into influential team members and impactful leaders. Through this continuous learning, leaders are positioned to unlock their full potential and make a lasting impact within their organizations.

Executive coaching helps leaders develop a sense of when to lead and when to step back and let others take over. An intelligent leader masters this skill. Learn more about Intelligent Leadership Executive Coaching to hone the leadership and following skills, empowering you to build trust and inspire excellence in your team.

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