My family was recently enjoying a glorious fall day. The weather was great—the air was crisp, the sun was shining, and there were beautiful cottony clouds in the sky. The horses were grazing in the pasture enjoying the afternoon sun.
My sister-in-law commented on the horses walking back and forth across the field. “See how that horse leads the others around the pasture. Everywhere he goes, the others follow.” (To set the context, you have to realize that she is not a horse person.) As I looked out to the pasture, I saw something else. I’m no horse whisperer; however, if you have ever owned horses, it wasn’t hard to see what was really happening.
The horse in the back would raise his head ever so slightly…nose in the air, neck outstretched. The other horses would then move forward to find grazing ground just a few feet away. It gave the appearance that every time the horse out front moved, the others followed; however, it was clear that it was the horse in the back that was in the lead. The horse up front wasn’t “leading” the others; the horse in back was “pushing” the others forward.
This reminded me that to lead, we often must follow. Knowing when and how to follow is what is important. While we are demonstrating followership, (like the lead horse) we gently point the direction and prod others toward the goal.
Tags: Beyond the Jargon, Calibra, Diane Hamilton, Executive Coaching, followership, goals, Leadership Development
