Interested in more careers-related content? Check out our new weekly Work Life newsletter. Sent every Monday afternoon.
Eileen Dooley is a talent and leadership development specialist, and a leadership coach, based in Calgary.
It was a timeless game played for generations. We would line up behind one person, ideally someone the group has agreed upon, who would take us where they wanted to go, whether it was around the school yard, up and down stairs or in circles. We would even need to copy gestures. Follow the Leader had one rule – you follow (unless you were the leader). Those who chose not to follow were out – they had to wait for another game to start before playing again. The goal, of course, is to be the last one standing. For winning, you get to be the new leader.
Childhood educators say the game has many benefits to growing up, such as learning to follow direction, building concentration and developing gross motor skills. It also may help prepare us for our working lives, where Follow the Leader has the same rules, except waiting to play again is replaced by looking for a new job or being sidelined until a new leader is chosen.
For some, this may be a hard game to play, as following a leader, no matter where they take you, may determine your fate with the company or organization, as we saw with the recent ousting of Mark Wasyliw from the Manitoba NDP caucus. In 2019, Jody Wilson-Raybould and Jane Philpott were expelled from the federal Liberal caucus. These three all had different ‘official’ reasons for being exited, but there was one overarching factor – they refused to play Follow the Leader. Whether it is do what you are told or take what is thrown at you, all three chose not to follow and all were out.
The game is also played in the private sector, with voluntary or involuntary exits of those who refuse to play by the rules, which tend to be set by the leader - and for good reason.
Leaders will lead. That is what they are elected or chosen to do, paid to do and trusted to do. They are, at the end of the day, accountable for each decision, consequence, result and overall direction of the organization they lead. And they know to surround themselves with supporters. This is not to say that leaders cannot be challenged. They should be, and leaders should be able to learn and grow from those they work with. Some leaders, however, will not, which then leads to the question for those who are following them:
When is it time to play or walk away? That depends on what is important to you, which also explains why many stay with questionable leaders.
Some, or perhaps many workers stay for power. The reward of a high compensation, fancy titles and all the benefits that come with sticking it out can be enough for someone to go along with a leader they do not agree with. Many find ways to rationalize, overlook or simply tolerate a leader. They will play the game if it means getting into, or staying in, power.
Some stay for the need of unity. This is especially noticeable in government, where we see elected officials rally around unpopular leaders. Although Justin Trudeau is unpopular, he is the prime minister, leading a country with MPs needing to be onside, even until an election is called. Wanting unity means you play the game, regardless of where the leader takes you.
Finally, some play the long game, knowing with any new leadership there will be a moment of change or a new direction that aligns more with your morals and values. Keeping a regular paycheque and finding other ways to cope may be what it takes to get to the end of the long game.
It is when personal values and professional ethics are compromised, where it is hard to stay in the game, as we saw with the examples of the federal and Manitoba governments. If a leader challenges these two important and individual areas, working for that leader is essentially over – there is no work around or compromise, just ill feelings and an overall dissatisfaction with the job. Loyalty may be questioned by the leader, which cannot be in doubt during anytime in leadership and leaders will act accordingly to remove that source of doubt.
Follow the Leader does not have rules on when to stay and when to exit – it is up to the person playing and requires a careful balance on respecting the leader’s choices on where you are to go and what you are being asked to do, with honouring you own personal convictions and beliefs. Pushing against the leader rarely keeps you in the game, and may not allow you to be the next leader. You will be seen not only as an outlier, but a threat to the leadership direction, by both the leader and the followers. Gracefully bowing out, perhaps to start your own game with new players could be the only thing you can do when you have a leader you do not want to follow.
This is the main reason why we join companies to begin with, and our role is to agree more than disagree with the leader, who rightly needs the support of their team to be effective. Leaders rightly need this support and will deal with anyone who is causing ripples or bad exposure that affects the company or the leader, as we saw last month in Manitoba, and a few years ago in the Liberal caucus.
The game will always be played the same way, with the same rules. Only you can make the decision to follow, tag out or be tagged out.