But I want to challenge that premise. I believe you can be a follower without being a leader, but you can't be a leader without being a follower.
Great leaders are also great followers. They are willing to take direction, listen to criticism and ask for help.
They have people wiser and more experienced that they go to for advice. They have people their same age and experience level that they are sharpened by. They have younger people that help them stay in touch with the culture and current trends.
The first step to being a great leader is being a great follower. The first step to remaining a great leader is to remain a great follower.
When I was in middle school, I wanted to improve as a basketball player. I made the decision to spend my extra basketball time playing with high school players. They were better than me, stronger than me, taller than me and faster than me. I definitely wasn't the leader. But I knew if I was going to improve as a leader on my team, I needed to spend time following. Following them made me a better leader on the court.
Take a look at who's in your life. Who you are following is just as important as who you are leading.
