Practical ways to wow your boss and boost your skills
By now, we’ve taken away some of the pressure to succeed by leading. We made the case for faithfulness as the standard for success. We’ve talked about how being a “follower” isn’t a bad thing; in fact, it’s what you already are. Now, let’s turn to the practicals: how to be a strong follower in your daily work life.
Channel your inner St. Peter, the ultimate strong follower
First, I hope you’ll channel your inner St. Peter and:
- Stick with it
- Give your best effort
- Ask questions
Following St. Peter’s example is something you can start doing right away.
Learn a new skill: courageous followership
Second, take some time to learn about courageous followership, a concept pioneered by Ira Chaleff. Being a courageous follower often means speaking up, asking questions, and sometimes respectfully challenging our leaders. I have struggled with being this kind of courageous follower in past jobs. I seemed to only find my courage on behalf of fellow employees, if I saw unfair treatment happening in the light of day.
After I read Chaleff’s book during grad school, I realized that being a courageous follower can take many different forms. We don’t have to wait until we see outright injustice at work before we act. Chaleff does a wonderful job of explaining what courageous followership looks like, and he has some podcast appearances floating around out there, too. Look him up and take some time to learn about how you, in your roles as a follower, can be an asset even now.
3 steps you can take today to be a strong follower
Finally, as with most things in life, remember that following well at work is a practice and a journey. I look back at previous jobs, where I felt too defeated by mediocre leaders who constantly beat down my ideas, or too caged in by my self-image of being a “good girl” or “the one who’s always agreeable” to practice strong, courageous followership at work. I was scared, plain and simple, and hearing “no” all the time made me apathetic. If that’s you today, please know: things can change and you can create that change.
But to create change, we need actionable steps. Here are three you can start doing today:
1. Bring 2 solutions with you
Bring two solutions to the table every time you ask questions, especially if you’re challenging your leader. I have seen countless coworkers bravely challenge our leaders, over and over again, without ever offering another option in place of their “no.” The truth is, it is rarely your job to tell your boss no. Your job is to say, “No, but what if we tried this instead?” Saying no over and over again is a sure way to earn the reputation of being negative, difficult to work with, and unpleasant. Offering solutions, though, will earn you the reputation of being a problem-solver, a go-getter, and a valuable teammate.
2. Learn how to be an ideal team player
Watch this video by Patrick Lencioni. It’s short, just 15 minutes. Which virtue(s) do you need to enhance to be a stronger team player?
3. Start praying for your leaders on purpose
Pray for you leaders—especially the ones who annoy you the most. 😊 Leading is difficult. In most cases, leaders are doing the best they can. But, especially if their best is mediocre, they definitely need your prayers. As a person of faith, you know how vital prayer is. Praying for your bosses and the teams they lead (that’s you!) will change hearts, perhaps yours most of all.
As you practice faithfulness, following your scriptural bff, and these three practical steps, I trust you will find your work is more meaningful, more productive, and more fun. Plus, you’ll develop strong follower skills that will serve you for the rest of your life—even, God willing, when you are a big-boss-leader!