Comment on Mary Kennon's post: You've made some good observations Mary Kennon. Yes, your boss could certainly be considered a "follower" at times, when they are supporting you in projects or initiatives that you are overseeing.  Their follower roles might looks different from others, but they are helping to point others to you for direction in that project or initiative. 

I definitely bend towards leadership by consensus.  This is great when everyone is steering in the same direction—not so much when they aren’t.  My challenge is also inspiring team members towards a goal without coming across as pushy.  You want people to be heard, and their ideas valued, but at the end of the day a direction has to be chosen.  Navigating this process is what I hope to glean from these lessons.

While some people seem to be natural born leaders or managers, it is a comfort to know that we can all learn to improve.  I assumed that leaders and managers were all one in the same, but a closer look shows that their focus and the results of their work are both different. Sometimes the best managers are not those with the strongest skill set, but rather those who can identify the best process and people to complete a shared goal. Leaders inspire others to make changes and the determination to see it unfold.  Coming up with goals or ideas… >>>