Many times, we talk about the failure of leadership without essentially looking at the failure of followership. As much as leaders can fail, it is also equally possible for followers to fail. The reason why everyone blames everything on leaders is simply because “everything rises and falls on leadership,” and it should never be forgotten that every great leader starts as a great follower. Now, the very first idea that comes to mind when the word leadership is mentioned is responsibility. It is often difficult to separate responsibility from leadership because leadership is solely about responsibility. The very first leadership assignment that came to man, came on the platform of responsibility. In Genesis 2:4-8 & 15, the Bible says:

 

“This is the history of the heavens and the earth when they were created, in the day that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens, ⁵ before any plant of the field were in the earth and before any herb of the field had grown. For the Lord God had not caused it to rain on the earth, and there was no man to till the ground, ⁶ but a mist went up from the earth and watered the whole face of the ground.” ⁷ And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living being. ⁸ The Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden, and there He put the man whom He had formed. ¹⁵ Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it.”

 

What then, IS THE FAILURE OF LEADERSHIP? The statement in verse five is so important when viewed from a leadership perspective. “Because there was no man to till the ground...” Another way to look at that statement is this: because there was no man to take responsibility for the ground and by extension, the whole earth, God withheld rain. Looking at this statement alone, we can then raise the question: What is the failure of leadership? The failure of leadership begins when the leader is not able to carry out or fulfill his leadership responsibilities. The moment a leader is found wanting in the areas of discharging his or her responsibility, such a leader has started failing already.

 

Responsibility in leadership simply talks about responding to God’s ability given to a man or a woman to carry out a leadership task or assignment. Anytime God calls a man to lead, He gives such man everything he requires to be an effective leader. Hence, failure in leadership also occurs when a man does not give himself to responding to the abilities that God has deposited in him to be able to lead. As much as everything rises and falls on leadership, certain things rise and fall on followership as well.

 

The Failure of Followership occurs when followers don’t hold their leaders to some level of accountability. It is the failure of followership when leaders aren’t leading well, and followers don’t voice their displeasure. If you look at Nigeria, and by extension, the continent of Africa for example, the failure of leadership that the continent experiences is as much as the failure of followership because Africans don’t hold their leaders to account for their stewardship. Followership does not mean following sheepishly. Followership entails being active in the leadership process. 

 

Leadership does not exist in a vacuum. The reason why there is leadership is simply because there is an entity to be led: your life, your marriage, an organization, a people, a nation, et cetera. If there is no leadership, certain things will go wrong, and hence, the need for leadership. Not everyone can lead, but everyone must be following at some point or the other. So, there is an underlying structure and context that binds leadership and followership together. We can look at the failure of leadership as the failure of followership. And we can also look at the failure of followership as the failure of leadership. So, to avoid both the failure of leadership and followership, it requires that leaders and followers meet at certain equilibrium points.

 

i. Selflessness: The idea of selflessness is not one-sided when it comes to leadership and followership. The unspoken assumption in the minds of many is that leaders are the ones who should be selfless to succeed. But this assumption is unfounded. For a leader to succeed, it requires the selflessness of the ones following as well. Selfless leaders focus on empowering and growing their followers, rather than seeking personal gain. This attitude nurtures an atmosphere where followers can develop their skills, take risks, and contribute to the organization's accomplishment. In the same disposition, the followers respond to the selflessness of their leader by simply supporting the task and vision of the leader. When the two sides are giving equal and commensurate levels of selflessness, it brings about the success of the entity being led in the long run.

 

ii. Zeal: Zeal is an essential quality for both leaders and followers, as it reflects a strong passion and enthusiasm for a cause or objective. There is an equal level of zeal from both leaders and followers that can get the assignment done. The disciples of Jesus saw the level of zeal He had for the house of God. In John 2:16-17: And He said to those who sold doves, “Take these things away! Do not make My Father’s house a house of merchandise!” ¹⁷ Then His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for Your house has eaten Me up.” No wonder they could not be less zealous, even when Jesus was no longer with them. They continued with the same energy and amount of zeal they had discovered in Him.

 

For leaders, having zeal can inspire and motivate followers to work towards a common goal with dedication and commitment. It also demonstrates the leader's genuine interest and investment in the cause, which can build trust and credibility among followers. For followers, having zeal can lead to a greater sense of purpose and fulfillment in their support for the vision of the leader, as well as a willingness to take on challenges and contribute to the success of the organization. So, to avoid the failure of leadership and followership, both the leader and the followers must embody qualities of selflessness and zeal. This is the equilibrium point where both leadership and followership intersect.

Thanks for the gift of your time, I am Obayomi Abiola Benjamin!

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