Why is it Better to be a Leader Than a Follower in Business: Advantages to Leadership in Business

Leadership in business has distinct advantages with exciting, new and unique challenges for potential business leaders. Followers do not necessarily recognize or comprehend these kinds of advantages. Looking at the nature of business leaders, it becomes apparent that for them, being or becoming business leaders is a better choice than being followers.

Barbara Kellerman in her article, “What Every Leader Needs to Know About Followers” suggests that “There is no leader without at least one follower.”

Consider the following aspects of being leaders in business, rather than followers.

Authority:

Leaders in business thrive on assuming authority, while followers avoid having to do so. Being obligated to assume any degree of responsibility, followers may feel apprehensive or frightened. Leaders enjoy being in control of their businesses, as well as taking command of different situations, while followers do not. Leaders are usually effective business managers, while followers are not.

Contentment:

Leaders in business, because of their dominant personality traits, are much better suited for the role of leadership than those who choose to follow them. They are people who like and enjoy interaction with those who follow them because they are drawn to the charisma of the leader, in some way. For true business leaders, leadership is their only option and they are not truly happy or content in any other role. Being a follower is often frustrating, as it forces them to go in a different direction. Followers, simply follow others.  

Vision:

Leaders in business have a distinct vision for the future, not usually evident in followers. Explaining a business vision to a follower, does not guarantee he or she will comprehend its meaning or significance, much less be able to effect the business transitions that will bring it into being, in the future.  

Personal qualities:

The leadership qualities of being positive and constructive, proactive and motivated are often evident in business leaders, but less so in their followers. These leadership qualities tend to keep them a step ahead of their followers.   

Opportunity:

Leaders in business know when to seize a moment of opportunity and act upon it. Followers wait for leaders to take incentive. Then, they may choose to follow or not follow the potential leader, depending upon their ability to comprehend the opportunity and their personal desire to participate in it.

Strategic planning:

Leaders in business understand strategic, financial business planning and know how to initiate it, or how to find someone like an accountant to assist them. This may be with or without the assistance of their followers. At times, a potential leader may choose to seek further education or training in order to fulfill the role of leadership. A follower may be unhappy if obligated to do so.        

Responsibility:

Leaders in business seek the challenge of responsibility, whereas followers prefer to delegate it to others. Business leaders have energy and broad shoulders that carry the weight of their businesses. Followers do not necessarily want any degree of responsibility and may even shirk it.  

Rewards:

Perhaps the best reason for being a leader in business, rather than being a follower is that there is a multiplicity of financial rewards and benefits, a typical follower will not be aware of, desire or receive. These include financial freedom and independence. For example, business leaders are free to travel and enjoy the excitement of new horizons. Being able to make their own decisions, there are also major benefits for their families in terms of where and how they live.       

Respectability:

Leadership in business includes a degree of respectability in the community and business world, coupled with success, as long as the business leaders maintain a moral, ethical and legal approach to business. Their desire for respectability combined with success is one of the primary motivators for becoming business leaders, rather than followers.

Becoming a business leader or a follower is a personal choice. Being a business leader is worth investigating further for anyone who is creative and ambitious, as well as business oriented with respect to a vision of some kind.