A Followers Guide to Leadership

 I have read many articles and attended seminars on leadership.  They were written by leaders for leaders, I wonder, has anyone consulted the followers?  

 During my time as a Forest Service employee I have had the privilege of working for a large number of excellent leaders.  But I have observed many others in both state and federal jobs who did not.  The high quality of my current leaders is part of the reason I went back to work for the FS after retiring.  They do all the things I have suggested in my itemized list and more. 

As a follower, certain things drive me nuts; the first is spending six months of focused work on a project and as I complete my part, the project leader says, oh, that dropped off the priority list.  Second is getting my part of the project finished along with many others, and one key person, likely doing the work of two or three, is unable to provide their part, and the project stalls for A YEAR.  Third is hearing the “risk management” talk over and over and still no one is ready to take a risk.  Leadership is a risky deal, have the courage of your convictions and step out.  You’ll probably be clobbered but at least there will be something interesting on your tomb stone, or your ashes will be scattered in a glorious setting.

 As we move into the New Year, a complex galaxy of conflicting priorities circles overhead.   We want you, our leaders to shoot for a star, to finish a project, to accomplish something. I know this will be terribly difficult. In government, there are so many regulations and divisive points of view it’s a miracle anything gets done.  However, you leaders on every level, must leave the sink hole and act. 

 We want you to:

•  Know where you are going.  Establish a starting point.  Look at the map and see where the finish line is.

• Count the cost.  Do you have enough money, time, energy, and help to do the job? 

• Narrow your focus.  Don’t shoot for all the stars; you’ll just wander around in space, never hitting anything.  What is it you want to do?  Set goals, prioritize them, then ready, aim, SHOOT. 
• Choose your transportation system.  Leading implies movement.  Will you have to change laws to reach the goals you have set?  If so, start working with the lawmakers. Will you have to overcome resistance from inside?  Make your goals clear.  Balance the variety of needs and interests.  Communicate honestly and display trade-offs.  Not everything will be “win-win” so don’t try to make it look like it is.  Walk, run, drive or fly…. But get going
•  Choose your team. Give key positions to risk takers, people with energy and passion.  Give the foot draggers lesser roles.  Risk takers will make mistakes.  Plan to stand behind them when they do.  You will get more done taking risks than sitting on the sidelines playing it safe.  Even utter failure feels better than not trying. 
• Listen; remove barriers to your team.  You have chosen a team of diverse, bright, motivated people.  Listen to them.  Protect them from the mud holes of inertia.  Tell them how much funding they have for a project.  Ask them how they think the dollars should be spent.  Brainstorm.  Promote thinking, don’t worry that there are ten ways that won’t work for every one that will.  You have to sift tons of rock to find an ounce of gold, and people do it.  Ask the team how to be efficient.  Set them up for success and let them go.  Be available to answer questions and solve problems, but don’t hover.
  
• Have a plan for arriving at your goal.   Contrary to popular belief; it is better to arrive than to travel hopefully.  If you don’t arrive it was all a gigantic waste of time.   When I sit in an airplane all day I don’t want to spend my vacation time circling the airport.  Deplane.  Let us off the plane.  We’ll get to work.
  
• Recognize your followers as part of the team.  We will work toward the goal, focus, and help pay the costs.  We will move, motivate others, and communicate your goals.  Followers love to implement projects and see accomplishments on the ground.  We like to be productive and do work that matters, now and in the future.
  
• Feed and water us – You need us.

Diane Johnson