I Like To Lead From The Back

Leading from behind is active leadership. It requires that a leader set clear goals, enable innovation and step forward in key moments to unlock everyone’s potential.

I learned a secret a long time ago. My secret is really pretty simple. You don’t have to be in front to lead. You can lead from the back.

What is leading from the back?

Leading from the back means that you don’t have to be the official leader of a group. It means you can be part of a team and still have lots of influence. You can help the team or group figure out what they’re all about.

For me, leading from the back means asking a really good question at the perfect time. I find that a good question is much more powerful than being the official leader.

For me, being a leader is about moving a project forward. It’s about asking a good question. It’s about helping everyone figure out why we’re doing the project in the first place.

Because I’m an introvert (those who know me can stop laughing now) I like leading from the back. I find it more comfortable. I can step up when I think I need to. I can lay back when that’s the right thing to do. It just feels better.

Why is this better than leading from the front?

Leading from the back is not necessarily better it’s just different. Lots of people want to be the official leader. I think it’s a good idea to figure out where you’re most comfortable and lead from that place.

You can be just as effective leading from the back as leading from the front. You can often even get more done from the back. There are times you’re going to want to step out and there are times when it’s best to lead from the back. The cool thing about learning to lead from the back is you get to choose when each role is right for you.

If you lead from the back you won’t get any credit.

This is where your ego might get in the way. Getting credit is not what leadership is about. Helping others move forward is what a great leader does. If your good at what you do, you’ll get plenty of credit. If others don’t recognize what you’ve done, that’s OK too. The important thing is you’ve moved your project forward.

I see too many people wanting to be the leader for the wrong reason. Leadership shouldn’t be about you it should be about us. If you can help us be better I want you as my leader. If you’re interested in making you better, then I’m probably not going to follow you very far.

For me, it’s about being effective and efficient.

At the end of the day leadership is about moving forward in some project or idea. I hate wasting time. I hate having formalities. This probably goes along with my dislike of job titles. I don’t have much use for them. I respect people who can help me be successful. I don’t care what their title is.

Ask yourself a question, “Am I being effective and efficient? Am I helping others get to a better place faster?” If you can answer yes to both questions, then you’re a good leader. It doesn’t matter whether you’re the official leader, it only matters that your good at what you do. Isn’t that something you’re interested in?

Do You Know How to Lead from Behind?

In a world filled with leaders, Nelson Mandela stands out as one of the most effective and admirable in history. There are certainly many lessons we can learn from his example, and one of those is how to lead from behind.

In his autobiography “Long Walk to Freedom,” Mandela wrote, “It is better to lead from behind and to put others in front, especially when you celebrate victory when nice things occur. You take the front line when there is danger.” He compared this kind of leadership to shepherding, describing how a great leader “stays behind the flock, letting the most nimble go out ahead, whereupon the others follow, not realizing all along that they are being directed from behind.” When leading from behind, you enable all members of your team to participate in moving the organization forward, maximizing innovation. So what does leading from behind actually look like?

Set goals and parameters. Leading from behind is still active leadership. It means shaping your organization’s culture and driving change. To lead from behind, you need to build a strong community that is united by shared values and goals. As a leader, you need to make the group’s goal clear, whether that’s developing a new product or overcoming a problem your organization is facing. Ensure that everyone is working towards the same goals, but leave space for different solutions. You also want to promote a set of core values that will unite your team and keep ideas on track. Does your organization value sustainability? Diversity? Experimentation? These values should be your team’s building blocks, and it’s up to you as a leader to define them.

Enable innovation. Our traditional view of leadership in the business world is of a leader taking center stage. We often believe the top leader should be the one coming up with and then implementing all of the best ideas. Leading from behind, however, often places leaders in a supporting role. This may feel counter-intuitive and require swallowing a bit of pride, but it can be the most effective way to produce wide-spread innovation. The goal is to enable your team members to emerge as innovators and leaders themselves. When leading from behind, you should provide support and inspiration. Create opportunities for learning and growth, such as workshops and a collaborative work environment, and reward new ideas. By enabling all team members to lead from within, you’re maximizing the innovation and good work your team can produce. You’re also encouraging all team members to invest in your success. That’s a recipe for great things.

Step forward in key moments. Remember, in his autobiography Nelson Mandela noted that the shepherd will “take the front line when there is danger.” While leading from behind often means playing a supporting role, there are times when it’s necessary to step forward. This is the particularly the case if you notice your team veering off-track. While you want to trust your team’s ideas, you should draw on your own experience and insight to make corrections when necessary. In times of crisis, you may also want to take the reins. For example, if you need an immediate solution to a sudden problem, a direct leadership approach may be more appropriate than leading from behind.

Keep in mind that leading from behind is just one of multiple effective leadership strategies. It tends to work best in non-urgent environments where there is time and space for new ideas to develop gradually. You also need a team of people who are willing to take advantage of opportunities for innovation. In a global leadership environment with other developing leaders, leading from behind can be an excellent way to unlock everyone’s potential.