The Bill of Rights for Leaders and Followers

We, who lead and follow, hold these truths to be self-evident:

That every leader is sometimes a follower, and every follower is sometimes a leader.

That the leader leads only when others follow; therefore, it is the followers who bestow leadership.

That, therefore, the power of the leader emanates from the followers.

That the collective wisdom of the followers is greater than the individual wisdom of the leader; therefore the leader is called to unleash the wisdom of the whole.

That since power and wisdom reside in the followers, the leader’s goal is to help each follower attain his/her own full potential.

That the inclination to follow stems from the spirit of the followers and their belief in the integrity of the leader.

That the leader’s goals are viable only when they are held commonly by the followers.

That all leaders and followers are engaged in a common search to find a sense of individual dignity and worth. Not only do we see these to be self-evident truths, but we hold them to be a Bill of Rights for followers. They are what we expect from each other while being led.

                                                                                                                         — Gene Denk