A good leader is a good follower

The first time I encountered this concept was when I was joining the Cadet Officers Candidate Course in my college ROTC. Among the first lessons taught to us on leadership is the phrase "a good leader is a good follower."

True enough, when we started our on the job training, I was the classic officer - strict in implementing rules and harsh in giving punishments. But I came to learn a few tricks from my interactions with my "subordinates." Unlike in military school, your subordinates in ROTC are such during training periods especially those who are in the same year level as you are. For the rest of the 6-day academic week, they are your equals - students like yourself.

It is then that I came to understand what they feel during training periods when they have, even forced, to give you the respect your rank deserves. After that, I made some changes in how I deal with them that, I believe, made me a more effective leader.

For the three years that I too was a subordinate to the senior officers, I felt what my cadets seemed to have felt. I had the same contempt, anger, and level of insubordination that they may have felt.

It was said that experience is a good teacher. In my case it was, along with that phrase I learned not too long ago.

During my senior year in the ROTC where we are the decision-makers, chief implementors, and the demigods, I applied a different form of leadership. This may have resulted in some contempt but it has been the most effective method I used - I appealed to their sense of reason.

The intelligent students that they are, all I needed to do was tell them what our roles are, what is expected of them, what is expected of us, and what type of relationship we have.

I give regular talks, discussions even, with the cadets. We discuss anything from training to personal concerns to jokes and funny stories of their experiences.

We have all reached an understanding that during lectures whenever they get rowdy and I fell silent with a disgusted smile on my face, those who notice caution their colleagues and they all start to behave.

It is also important that you learn to thank them and give them credit for the success your unit achieves. This forms a bond that will last you a lifetime.