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214 PART 3: THE PERSONAL SIDE OF LEADERSHIP

IN THE LEAD U.S. Military Academy, West Point
At West Point, everyone leads and everyone follows. It’s a 24-hour leadership labo-
ratory where people learn that leadership and followership are two sides of the
same whole. An important lesson is that leaders are nothing without followers.
“You learn from the beginning that you’re not in a position of leadership because
you’re smarter or better,” says cadet Joe Bagaglio. “As soon as you think you know
it all, you get burned.”
Each spring, West Point graduates nearly 1,000 men and women who leave with
a bachelor’s degree and a commission as second lieutenant in the U. S. Army. After a

6-week leave, these new graduates take their first jobs as military officers in places
like Kosovo, Germany, Guam, Afghanistan, or Iraq. Most of us think of West Point as a
place of rules, rigidity, structure, and conformity, and to a great extent, it is. Cadets
have to learn to subordinate their self-interest for the good of the whole, because
that’s what they’ll be called upon to do when they graduate. However, there’s another
side to the story, one that instills creativity and flexibility into students who might

someday have to make rapid decisions in the chaos of a battlefield. Cadets learn to rely

on the competencies of followers and their own judgment. They learn that everyone is
part of the team and no one individual—no matter his or her rank—is more important
than the mission of the whole. The entire community relies on this interdependence.
At West Point, everyone is evaluated all the time, and every action is an opportu-
nity to learn, to gain new experience, and to grow in understanding. Formal leaders
are continually pushing people—including themselves—to get out of their comfort
zone so that they expand their capacity for leadership. “Everyone’s a teacher,” says
cadet Chris Kane, a platoon leader in Company C-2 at West Point. “That’s what I love
about this place. We’re all teachers.” 62

Building a Community of Followers

Together, followers and leaders provide the dependability, cooperation, and commit-
ment to build a sense of community and interdependence in the organization. When
there is a sense of community, as at West Point, people feel a strong commitment to
the whole and feel that they are important to others in the group. You may have felt
this in your personal life as a member of a social club, a religious organiza-
tion, or a sports team. Community provides a spirit of connection that
Action Memo
sustains effective relationships and commitment to purpose. People in a
63
community accomplish shared goals through trust and teamwork. In
As a leader, you can work cooperatively
a community, people are able to communicate openly with one another,
with others to build a sense of community,

maintain their uniqueness, and be firmly committed to something larger
interdependence, and common purpose. You
than selfish interests. In short, a group of effective followers provides the

can contribute to a positive culture and a
respect.
basis for community. It is not by coincidence that effective followers and
spirit of equality by practicing inclusivity and
effective community members share certain characteristics. Historically,
communities of all sorts were based on service, informed participation, and
individual contributions. 64
Characteristics of Community
Successful communities share a number of important characteristics. In effective
communities, members practice inclusivity, a positive culture, conversation, car-
ing and trust, and shared leadership. 65
Inclusivity In a community, everyone is welcome and feels a sense of belonging.
Divergent ideas and different points of view are encouraged, as a true community