I have often heard people talk about leadership as though it begins with being in charge.

Having the title. Making the decisions.Being the one that others look to for direction.

But the older I get, the more I believe that leadership begins somewhere much simpler.

It begins with following.Not following blindly.Not abandoning your own thinking.

Not agreeing with everything that is said.But learning how to listen.

Learning how to be part of a team.Learning how to respect the experience, wisdom and knowledge that others bring.

Learning how to be flexible when life takes a different route than the one you had planned.

If you cannot follow, I am not sure you can truly lead.This morning, I was reminded of that lesson during my walk on the beach.

The beach was quiet.

For the first time in several days, I was able to walk the entire stretch without interruption. 

Something else has changed too.

The pack of dogs that I have seen every day has slowly become part of my morning routine.

On my first walk, I was cautious. They barked and charged at me. I threw them off with a stick.

But over the days, we have become familiar with one another. This morning, it struck me that the fear had disappeared. Nothing dramatic had happened.

No grand moment of courage. The dogs had not changed. I had.

I had learned to trust the experience rather than my assumptions. And perhaps that is another form of following.

Following what is actually happening rather than what fear is imagining.

Yesterday was a much quieter day. After several intense days of workshops, discussions and facilitation, I stayed in.

I worked on reports. I rested. I allowed myself to slow down.

There was no pressure to be constantly productive. No need to create an agenda for every moment.

No need to force things. I simply followed the flow of the day.

That sounds simple, but for those of us who are used to organising, leading, planning and solving, following can feel surprisingly uncomfortable.

We are often praised for taking charge.Rarely are we praised for knowing when to pause.

Yet some of life's greatest lessons arrive when we stop trying to direct everything and instead pay attention to where we are being led.

The tide follows the pull of the moon. The fisherman follows the rhythm of the sea.

The sunrise follows its own timing.None of them rush. None of them force.

And yet they arrive exactly as they should. 

Perhaps leadership is not always about being at the front.

Perhaps sometimes leadership is found in our willingness to listen before we speak.

To learn before we teach. To observe before we advise. To trust before we control.

As I reflect on the past few days, I realise that some of my best moments have come when I have stopped insisting on my own agenda and started paying attention to what is unfolding around me.

The beach has taught me that.

The workshops have taught me that.

Even the dogs have taught me that.

There is wisdom in knowing when to lead. There is equal wisdom in knowing when to follow.

And perhaps true leadership is the ability to do both.

Life Experience Feedback #5: If you cannot follow with humility, curiosity and respect, you will struggle to lead with wisdom. Sometimes the greatest act of leadership is allowing yourself to learn from what is already trying to guide you.