Learning To Follow To Lead Series - It's Good To Be The Right Hand Man

This is the second in a series of posts that will discuss a topic that's been growing in mind for years. The idea of learning to follow, in order to lead.

-It's Good To Be The Right Hand Man-
Over the last few years I've worked with all sorts of different types of people, who each had their own leadership style. I've had the distinct pleasure to work with a few of those people where I was in a position to get to pick their brains and be there whenever they needed someone to be the "go-getter."

If there's anyone thing I learned from the best of the people I've worked with it is this, "It's good to be the right hand man to the boss." I've made it a point to align myself with people that I feel are worthy and deserving of loyalty and respect. (A trait I picked up during my years in Tau Beta Sigma) I stick to the philosophy that if you earn a place on the right hand of a strong leader and mentor, when they move to the top, they'll be happy to have you along for the ride.

And when that day comes that you're ready to venture out from under the safety of your mentors wing...... they'll be there to help you along in your own adventures. Building that relationship of trust, dependability, and strength can be the ticket to success. Prove yourself to the people who are above you, and (if you've aligned yourself with good people) they'll be likely to help you blaze your own trail when the time comes.

I'm of course not saying you should hide in someones shadow and not be a leader. But you have to learn to crawl before you can walk. And the best way to learn to walk when you're ready is with a steady, experienced, guiding hand there to help you. And as every parent knows, once they can walk, they'll run..... blazing their own trail!

So, life's good on the right hand of the boss..... network, learn, build, test ideas, and get your walking legs ready for the rest of the world. And then go, RUN and don't stop until you reach your goals, and one day you look down and find there's someone there on your right hand waiting for their turn.