There’s nothing wrong with following others, but it does isolate you from the inspiration, drive, and influence that leaders have over people and organizations. If you aren’t sure what you are among a group, here are some key differences between leaders and followers that can help out
Influence
The ability to influence others is a key trait of a leader, something that followers typically find difficult. While leaders inspire and motivate their team through their actions and words, followers may prefer to support and contribute to the team’s goals, and while this is essential in teamwork, it lacks the influence to drive change.
Responsibility
For leaders, responsibility for their actions and outcomes is something that they will willingly accept. They acknowledge mistakes and learn from them, understanding that this is how the world works. In contrast, followers may avoid taking responsibility, often blaming external factors or others for their failures, which ultimately prevents them from learning.
Innovation
Any leader in life will consistently seek innovative solutions to problems, encourage creativity, remain open to new ideas, and never settle for the status quo. This is the opposite of followers, who tend to be more conservative by relying on existing options, preventing them from ever becoming true innovators.
Vision
As Indeed.com lays out, leaders will always possess a clear vision for the future because after all, they could not lead without one. Meanwhile, followers might blindly accept these plans, and typically focus on executing the tasks given to them, often without questioning the bigger picture or long-term objectives. This can be both a good or bad thing, depending on what you want out of life.
Initiative
There’s no denying that leaders always have an exceptional sense of initiative, and they’re never afraid to act on it. They identify opportunities and act on them without waiting for instructions, whereas, in contrast, followers often wait for directions before taking any action, rarely acting on what feels right at the time.
Decision-Making
Due to their vision and initiative, leaders will willingly make tough decisions quickly and confidently, considering all relevant factors. They embrace the responsibility that comes with their choices, getting used to it after so many have been made. On the other hand, followers prefer to give decision opportunities to other people, seeking approval and avoiding the potential risks that come with them.
Risk-Taking
Risks can be terrifying to take, especially when they have potentially serious consequences, so followers will generally avoid taking them when possible. Meanwhile, leaders are used to this risk-reward trade-off, so they’re always willing to take calculated risks to achieve their vision. They understand that failure is a possibility but see it as necessary.
Communication
Listen to any leader, whether they’re a politician or the frontman of a band, and you’ll see that they’re always excellent communicators. Even if you don’t like what they say, they still articulate their vision fantastically. Meanwhile, followers might communicate well within their role but often lack the broader communication skills needed to lead others, representing a clear difference in their communication style.
Problem-Solving
For leaders, problem-solving is part of the job, as they constantly need to approach challenges with a strategic mindset. This doesn’t necessarily mean that followers can’t be good problem-solvers; on the contrary, many are, but they simply don’t need to be as part of their day-to-day tasks.
Motivation
The average follower often needs external motivation, such as praise or rewards, to stay engaged and productive in life, something that was instilled into them as a child. Leaders likely had this exact same upbringing, but they eventually learned that self-motivation drives someone to achieve their goals. Therefore, they are always passionate and committed to their work, never leaving their self-driven motivation at home.
Adaptability
Another key difference between a leader and a follower is that a leader is highly adaptable and able to adjust their strategies and plans in response to changing circumstances. They thrive in dynamic environments, whereas followers typically prefer stability and may struggle to adapt quickly to new situations.
Accountability
Considering that leaders are so good at admitting to their mistakes, they’re famous for holding themselves accountable and knowing when to apologize. While followers will still always offer a polite apology, they rarely take true accountability, sometimes thinking deep down that they were right about what they did all along, stunting their personal growth.
Strategic Thinking
It’s no secret that leaders are exceptional at thinking strategically, always considering long-term implications and aligning their actions with their vision. They anticipate future trends and plan accordingly, and they’re not afraid to think outside the box. Meanwhile, followers focus more on short-term tasks, often missing the bigger picture and finding lateral thinking somewhat abstract.
Empowerment
Watch any leader conduct a speech, and you’ll notice how they empower others in their tone of voice by delegating authority and putting an emphasis on autonomy. They trust their team members to make decisions, whereas followers who struggle with being so may be empowering, often requiring close supervision of their own to complete their tasks.
Emotional Intelligence
Sadly, a lot of people who would be considered to be followers struggle with regulating their emotions and empathizing with people, impacting their interactions and relationships. This is pretty normal, but not for leaders; they generally have outstanding emotional intelligence, which allows them to manage their emotions well and use the emotions of others to their advantage, for better or worse.
Networking
Being a leader wouldn’t be possible without building a strong network of contacts, helping them to share, develop, and gain support for their ideas. On the other hand, followers may have a smaller network, limited to their immediate team or department, and they won’t see any benefit in expanding this circle.
Persistence
Another major difference between followers and leadership is how a follower tends to give up more easily when confronted with obstacles. They lack the same level of resilience that leaders demonstrate, which is powered by their persistence, acceptance of challenges, and understanding that even when progress is slow, it’s important to remain focused and determined.
Learning
Any true leader is aware that continuous learning should be a priority, and the day you stop studying the world and other people is the day you become a follower. This is because followers just focus on the immediate requirements of their role, missing opportunities for personal and professional growth and failing to study the world in a way that shows them the importance of education in following one’s dreams.
Confidence
Above all, you will notice that any leader, regardless of whether they lead a company, army, or political party, will always be immensely confident in comparison to their followers. They believe in their capacity to lead and make a difference, whereas their followers lack this self-assurance, feeling more comfortable supporting others rather than taking the lead themselves.