“He’s a natural-born leader.”
“Everyone looks up to her.”
“He’s such a follower,” usually said complemented by a snide remark, squinted eyes, or a high-pitched gossipy voice.
Why is being a leader everything? Awards are given out for leaders in schools, the military, and the workplace. Why is being a leader better than being a follower?
First of all, for the sake of the society and a smooth-as-can-be ride, if every being, human and non, was a leader, it would be even more chaotic than it is now. Imagine it. Just close your eyes for twenty seconds and imagine if everyone was a leader.
We need people to lead, but not as much as we need people to follow. The masses are the followers, the ones who keep society flowing and semi-graceful. The leaders make the rules, use their tiny hands to make tiny fists so they can pound it on their Big Mac chests. The leaders think they know what’s best for all. The leaders are nothing. Nothing, without followers.
All I’m suggesting is we should offer a little more respect to the followers and maybe take the negativity away from the word once in awhile. Don’t use it as a derogatory term, but an endearing one, a helpful one.
So, I raise my glass and say “cheers” to the followers, the concert-goers, the lovable minions, the voters, the worker-bees, the students, the passengers, the patients, the band, the grunts, the flock, and the pack.
Teresa Forester Adams 