We spend so much time developing our leaders – but what about our first followers? What’s a first follower?
Picture this – an outdoor music festival, a lone dancer on the hill dancing outrageously with his arms in the air. Other festival goers sit around watching him, giggling and pointing from the safety of their circles and filming him on their smart phones.
Then something happens – someone else gets up and joins him, pats him on the back and starts to dance alongside in the same way. This person is the First Follower. What happens next is the key to the first follower. Suddenly it’s okay to stand out because you’re not alone; there’s safety in numbers. People start joining in, one by one, this great movement of outrageous dancing occurring on the hill all laughing, all having a great time. You may have already seen the video by Derek Siver and if you haven’t I can highly recommend it!
This is your first follower – the person that supports a pioneer, an entrepreneur, a risk taker – when no-one else does.
We know of early adopters in marketing terms, but what about HR?
The world is changing, and every day we hear about entrepreneurs creating new products and services that change the way we live. These people need to have their first follower firmly by their side when starting up and the risk is at its highest.
The same goes for those in the corporate world – we all seek meaning in what we do and who we engage with. New innovations, high-risk-high-reward technologies or new markets all start somewhere.
Before we get into the formalised change management programs to support these new ideals, we need to have fostered a culture where belief and experiment work hand in hand.
Here are 5 ways to ensure you are creating the right environment for future innovators and their first followers:
Without their trusty first followers, future innovators would be dancing solo on the hill with an audience too afraid to jump up and join. It takes bravery to be a leader but guts to be the first follower too. So cultivating and embracing your followers is a mark of real leadership. Leaders will inspire and lead change when they genuinely connect with the people around them.
If you want to think about things differently, come talk to us at a-ha. We can help you develop programs for your leaders and followers, create a culture that cultivates innovation and develop surveys to understand how your employees feel about working with you.
If you prefer experiencing , you could talk to us about A-HA! Playground – a new and exciting way of challenging the status quo.
We offer an initial, confidential appointment tailored to address your questions and guide you in the right direction, whether you're embarking on a new HR journey or seeking expert advice and guidance on complex workplace issues.
This allows us to learn about your business goals and objectives; and for you to get to know our team and how we can support you to achieve those goals.
Our sessions are designed to:
We look forward to meeting you.
A-HA connects business and people in order to realise genuine value and worth. We have pioneered a new type of agency which revolutionises the human resource industry through our people, products and insight.
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The team at A Human Agency would like to acknowledge and pay respects to the traditional custodians of the land where our office is based, the Cammeraygal and Wallumedegal peoples of the Eora nation. We pay our respects to Elders past and present, and celebrate the diversity of Aboriginal people and their ongoing cultures and connections to the lands and waters of NSW.