Are you Follower Focused or just Follower Friendly?

So here is a question for you to think out loud about. Are you Follower Focused or just Follower Friendly? So your question right back to me may be, “What’s the difference and why does it matter?”

As it relates to the second half of your question, I have highlighted in previous blogs the disturbing statistics on employee disengagement. Unengaged (or actively disengaged!) employees, volunteers, team members, etc. equals lower productivity, effort, and customer satisfaction. This leads to lower profits, diminished income, fewer people served, etc. THAT is WHY this matters!

In terms of the first part of the question, there is a BIG DIFFERENCE! Here are some of them below:

Follower Friendly Leaders –

Like or Tolerate followers

Desire a Congenial work environment

Are vested just enough

Care about Contributions

Help their team

Manage and Supervise

Have Transactional relationships

Follower Focused Leaders –

Care deeply for followers

Desire a Growth Oriented environment

Are vested completely

Care about Continued Success

Sacrifice for their team

Lead and Mentor

Have Transformational relationships

You see, the difference is a mindset that desires for the people around you to develop and succeed. I have often told my team members that I consider part of my job is getting ready for their next one! Leading in a Follower Focused manner does not allow for just working along the edges. It requires you to lead deeply, completely, passionately, and actively!

Here are some tips that can help you get you started:

Conversations about future plans, current values, suggestions for improvement

Mentoring or coaching

Providing skill-building experiences

Recognizing contributions

Sharing your “why”

Discover what is important to them

As always, if I can help you Get Better, Be Ready and LEAD OUT LOUD, I would love to hear from you. Also, as a bonus, if you go to my Out Loud Strategies website (www.outloudinc.com) and enter your contact information, I will send you a FREE guide to establishing a mentoring initiative program in your organization! Such an initiative would be critical in order to add value to your organization!

Yours in Leadership,

Bill Faulkner

Co-Founder – Out Loud Strategies

Independent Coach, Speaker, and Trainer with the John Maxwell Team TM

Email = bill@outloudinc.com

LinkedIn = https://www.linkedin.com/in/billfaulkner

Facebook = www.facebook.com/outloudinc

www.johnmaxwellgroup.com/williamfaulkner

Thank you Bill for helping us to think about our leadership style! Make sure you consider; Are you Follower Focused or just Follower Friendly?

Check out one of Bill’s other great post: If your organization was an animal, which would it be ?