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PROMISCUITY FOR THE MIND
Music to Follow: When the saints go marching in Louis Armstrong; Badluram ka Badan Assam regiment; Both - YouTube
A. Leaders Lead. Followers follow. If there are no followers what do leaders lead?
B. Followership is Critical.
C. Followership becomes critically important as organization size reaches ONE!
From the first 5 Vectors:
1. Followership is Mathematically Sound
2. Leadership for Leadership's sake is Irrelevant, in fact, dangerous
3. Apprenticing as a Follower is a basis for Sound Leadership.
4. Followers can amplify results that build on the work and vision of leaders
5. Followership enables powerful, expert, oversight without which Leaders could scarcely operate.
6. Followership is rewarding too.
Embedded in every leadership venture are ‘Fractal’ mini-leadership opportunities.
Every hi-rise building and its penthouse/page 3 lifestyle generates myriad job opportunities: gardener, security, HomeManager, painter, plumber, carpenter, driver. There is even a brand new profession that has experts in IT, Lighting, Biometrics and other modern technologies serving as Digital ‘Butlers”.
7. There can be bad leaders, but every follower is an ace.
As a game captain life is tough. Every move/decision is analyzed, critiqued and commented on. So tough that many games like Major League Baseball have a separate professional manager who manages lineups, strategy, etc. as a player, all you have to do is concentrate on your game!
A designer needs myriad skills encompassing digital design, materials science, purchasing, colors, contemporary trends, creativity even including people skills needed to convince or confuse the customer as the case may be. The woodworker who is supporting the designer only has to talk to wood, which doesn't talk back!
8. Followership is in reality challenging enough and tough:
It needs spectacular listening skills and the ability to control arrogance. Followership is to leadership what listening is to communication. The ability to plane polarise one’s ideas, desires, creativity and individuality to sync with the larger goals of an Organization is incredibly challenging.
Working at a formal job in an ‘office’ or ‘factory’ is difficult. Society places a high value on such jobs. But working at home is equally challenging-kids, cooking, inventory, finances, PR, HR, nurse, back-up teacher, policing, time management and so on – is equally complicated. Besides, it has no leave, no bonus, no gratuity and no retirement!!!
The next time your family is away on an outing, closely observe how the luggage is loaded into the car boot. If there are six people, there will be six instant volumetric geometry-logistics experts who will jump in together. One will unload the suitcase while shoving in the duffel bag, the other will remove the duffel bag and put the picnic hamper in first. It is a miracle a consensus is reached at all.
Our Military can ensure peace in the country because every military person listens with full attention and keeps their individuality in check. It is sobering to imagine what would happen if a combat pilot laden with nuclear weapons were to suddenly succumb to creative ideas while on a mission
9. Followership is a compulsory algorithm as task risk levels rise
The cat family as a whole exhibits extremely sure-footedness. By definition, a cat (any cat from your domestic house cat to a Tiger) uses a 'pacing' gait, unlike most mammals. Its rear paws tread exactly where the front pair went. If the front paws slip or sense a hole, the rear helps the front paws regain their footing. This is exactly why climbers are roped together. When crossing uncertain terrain, the followers can assist anyone who might lose their footing.
In flying, one of the most difficult skills to acquire is an IFR – an Instrument Flight Rating. In this, a pilot is required to execute maneuvers including takeoffs and landings relying ONLY on instruments. In bad weather and emergencies, in fact, under most conditions, human senses are unreliable. It is quite a task to be able to fly using instrument feedback and directions alone and completely disregard the senses that millions of years of evolution have gifted us.
10. Leaders have to fight to get there - a follower has few enemies.
To be an actor in the lead role in a film is a zero-sum game. Many toes have to be tread on to succeed. And this has to be done continuously to stay on top. Cut to the Wilhelm Scream – https://bit.ly/30SUQMQ. This sound effect has been used in virtually every Film/TV series since 1951!
Cellular Telephony companies fight grim wars for customers. So do credit card companies. Alcohol Companies. Fruit juice companies. So intense are these 'fights' that many often have 'no-people-poaching' agreements. Meanwhile, Cellular tower companies, VISA & Mastercard, Guala Closures and Tetrapak watch the gladiators while laughing all the way to the bank.
More in the 3rd Tranche coming up next week....
Illustrations by Lloyd Lawrence Lobo. https://www.instagram.com/meterchai.
S. Ram Kumar is an Author, Speaker, Agent-Provocateur, UniCylist and Woodworker. lokilet@luckfogic.com
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