Many people tout the importance of leadership abilities, but before one can accept the responsibilities of a leader, they must first learn to be a thoughtful follower, according to strategy + business.
Here are three tips to becoming a mindful follower:
1. Know the leader's comfort zone. A thoughtful follower carefully observes their leader, learning to read how their actions indicate different moods. Knowing a leader's comfort zone will help followers know if what they are doing might be aggravating or unwelcome.
2. Stay within the comfort zone. Once a follower has established their leader's boundaries, it is important to stay within them. This will help to establish trust between a leader and follower.
3. Work to expand the comfort zone. Once a follower has established trust within a leader's comfort zone, they can begin to take on extra responsibilities to demonstrate their competence and skill.