Who Would You Follow?

  • Published
  • By Colonel Christopher Colbert
  • 436th Operations Group commander
DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. --  Much has been written about leadership over the years, especially in military journals, articles and commentaries (like this one).  And much has been written about followership--how to be a hard worker, adhere to the Core Values, set the standard for your peers, etc.  However, not much has been offered about the action that lies between these two areas--gathering followers in the first place.  If you consider yourself a leader, have you checked to see if anyone is truly following you?  In our world, the act of following is mandatory.  The military places supervisors and commanders in charge, and those of a lesser rank are expected to follow.  In addition, the Air Force encourages informal leadership among all ranks even without an official title, and those under their influence are expected to follow.  But if the military actually offered Airmen a choice, would they continue to follow their leader come hell or high water?

So, the question is--what qualities of leadership should you possess so that people will choose to follow you regardless of the UCMJ?  I have read and heard many great thinkers and leaders in my time, but I think the most succinct and easily understood answer to this question came from Mr. Eliot Cohen, a famed writer, professor and political thinker.  I once heard him speak of the four Strategic Virtues, and if followed well, these Virtues would transform us all into leaders that others would readily follow.  See if these strike a chord with you.

First, have empathy--think and feel like others, whether friend or foe.  In the Air Force, we call this "knowing your Airman's story."  In the most basic sense of this Virtue, we are all humans that need to know we are known.  We cannot be expected to perform and serve like robots, stripped of all stress and complications.  We are all complicated in one way or another, and as fellow human beings, we need to afford the grace of understanding to others.  Leadership is just another form of relationship, so make it a point to relate to others.

Second, have humility--recognize your weaknesses as well as your strengths.  Good leaders understand that it takes a team to accomplish anything worthwhile, and with that comes team credit, not individual accolades.  Be willing to put others in the limelight, always share your success, and don't worry about your own greatness.  In addition, expect to make mistakes.  "To err is human" is the ancient wisdom, so don't put yourself in a pressure cooker or expect perfection from others.  If something goes wrong, assume the blame for your team, learn from it and move on. 

Third, have curiosity--ask a lot of questions because there is always more to learn about your folks and the issues they are facing.  People like to be engaged about what they do and how they do it, so ask them the questions.  No one likes following a leader who thinks he has all the answers, so be the leader who seeks out the "grass-roots" truth.  In doing so, you can put scarce resources against the problems that really beset your organization and your people, and everyone will feel essential to the solution. Plus, the great thing about this Virtue is that it helps lead to the humility and empathy already mentioned.  

Lastly, have courage--do the right thing under pressure.  Maya Angelou once said that, "Courage is the most important of all the virtues, because without courage you can't practice any other virtue consistently."  I could not agree more.  And more to the fact, nothing rallies people to a leader more than demonstrated courage.  Every great story ever written or inspiring movie ever filmed counts on that fact.  Stand your ground in the face of despair, defeat or trouble, and don't cave in to the demands of profit, expediency or perception.  "Keep Calm and Carry On" as the old British war poster says.

In summary, being a leader doesn't have to be a mystery.  Know who you work with and what troubles they might be having.  Don't seek fame and fortune for yourself; rather seek to better the lives of those around you.  Pursue the knowledge and wisdom of others, and put it to good use.  Finally, don't fold to pressure and circumstances--find your strength and protect those who are under your care.  If you have ever worked for someone like that, it hardly seems like work at all.