ACCEPTING RESPONSIBILITY

1-3 The idea that followership is the reverse or opposite of leadership is wrong. For example, if a leader is decisive, the reverse says that the follower is indecisive; or if the leader is organized, that the follower is disorganized. The list is unending, but you can see that leadership and followership are not opposites. 2. Leaders perform both roles at the same time. A leadership role and a followership role can be, and usually are, performed simultaneously. In providing guidance for the worker, a supervisor is functioning as a leader. At the same time, a leader may be dealing with higher level supervisors and, therefore, must assume a followership role. You are a connecting link between the workers and the higher level supervisors within the chain of command. 3. Followership and leadership skills are similar. The skills required of you in a followership or leadership role are similar in many ways. For example, whether you are a leader or a follower, you should strive to create harmony, togetherness, and a sense of belonging within your particular work group. At times both roles require you to train others in the development of technical skills necessary to meet group or mission goals or both. You can accomplish this training through on- the-job training (OJT), general military training (GMT), or formal classroom training. Your role, as a follower or as a leader, determines the use of these skills. For example, as a follower you show harmony (high morale) by your attitude, cooperativeness, and esprit de corps. In the leadership role, you show and promote harmony by exercising sound leadership principles. Knowing the basics of leadership, having the personal qualities of a good leader, and being a good follower are all necessary ingredients in the art of leadership. However, if you haphazardly combine these ingredients, you will decrease your effectiveness as a leader. To be a good leader, you must blend these ingredients in the proper proportions. ACCEPTING RESPONSIBILITY By accepting advancement in rate, you have expressed a willingness to accept the responsibilities and carry out the delegated authority of your new position. The “crow” on your sleeve symbolizes that responsibility and the authority that goes with the pay grade. Exercise of authority is inseparable from an acceptance of responsibility. The granting of authority helps you fulfill your assigned duties and responsibilities. People unaccustomed to accepting responsibility are hesitant to make decisions for fear of being wrong. You should recognize that as a natural feeling. However, you must make decisions even if they are wrong on occasion. When you realize you have made a wrong decision, admit your mistake, accept the responsibility, and take steps to avoid repeating the error. That will increase the respect of others toward you as a leader. New petty officers often make two major mistakes; they may supervise too little or too much. Petty officers who supervise too little may continue to perform their duties as a specialist, an operator of equipment, or a maintenance technician—and nothing else. You may find yourself making the same mistake. You may be sticking to your old job and avoiding any effort to supervise and instruct others in lower rates. You may either ignore or be afraid to take over your responsibilities of leadership. By making this mistake, you shortchange the Navy and yourself. The Navy did not advance you to give you more pay for the same work; it expects you to practice your increased skills and knowledges by supervising and instructing others. The other mistake made by new petty officers is that they supervise but do little else. Some people think supervision consists of ordering subordinates to do all the work while they sit back and do nothing. You should be as careful to avoid supervising too much as you should be to avoid supervising too little. Supervisors who won't dirty their hands on occasion are more of a liability than an asset because morale problems are certain to develop. Now consider some of the broader aspects of your increasing leadership responsibilities: