A Great Book for Business and Life
Leadership can come in many forms. Sometimes in the unlikeliest of places. When you think of leadership, what typically comes to mind? Is there a particular person who pops into your head? Do you think of qualities, background, and/or education?
For me, I think of it a little differently than others. Probably because of my background with wolves and knowing that the leader of the pack is not always the one seen at the front. In fact, the hierarchy of wolves and our ever-evolving education of their family dynamics is the first thing that came to mind when reading The Leader The Follower, by Michael Compton. Compton hit the nail on the head with his focus on the dual dynamic of leadership that is often overlooked.
While the leader is most perceived as the head of a department, the CEO, President, or owner, the follower also takes a leadership role at times in a healthy organization that realizes that all voices should be heard.
Much is the same in a wolf pack dynamic. It is a dance of using strengths and letting each family member be a part of the success of the pack.
In The Leader The Follower, Compton highlights the importance of both roles and the harmony that can be found when teams are working together. Followership isn’t a well-known term and isn’t spoken nearly as often as leadership, though the two are symbiotic and necessary.
Also highlighted for success is the need for effective communication, trust, self-care, boundaries, and work-life balance. All qualities that are missing from a great deal of our larger corporations, but nearly all companies and workers could benefit from taking to heart the words within these pages.
No matter which industry you work in, lead, or follow in, the concepts outlined in his chapters are clear-cut, concise, and realistic to implement. Doing so can help improve communication and morale and reignite passion and motivation for everyone within the organization.
Good leaders know how to listen, when to lead, and when to follow. Good leaders realize that everyone’s voice should be heard. This understanding is beautifully conveyed by Compton in his chapter about The Brilliant Non-Manager. The idea that listening to the workers who have boots on the ground in the company, who can offer insight that the managers might not know, is gold.
Communication plays a key role in the success of any company, but it can’t just be any communication, it needs to be effective communication. In The Leader The Follower, Compton coins a term and takes it a step further with Direct Empathetic Communication (DEC). He defines it as “the ability to communicate honestly and transparently while genuinely caring about the other person’s feelings and well-being.” Having direct communication alone can sometimes cause friction. By making sure it has the added element of empathy, it helps build trust and rapport with the parties involved.
Beyond communication, one of the more powerful concepts in this book is the importance of empowering trust. Without it, communication breaks down and the success of an organization is less likely. Being transparent and having accountability is paramount.
Being an advocate for self-care and work-life balance, I particularly loved the chapter on self-care, combating burnout, and mastering work-life balance. It isn’t discussed or practiced enough, and without it, it not only leads to burnout but ultimately a decline in happiness and success for the entire organization.
By focusing on each individual, starting with yourself, an organization can thrive when this amount of detail is given.
Without giving any more details away from the book, as I do hope you’ll go read it for yourself, I must mention the wonderfully written chapter on bridging the generational gap. This was presented in a way I’d never seen before, and it was highly impactful on my perspective. I believe if every organization took cues from Michael Compton, the world would be a much better place to live, work, and thrive.
You can pick up a copy on Amazon today. I highly recommend it!
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