To add growth, lead followers – to multiply, lead leaders.
What’s the meaning of this quote?
Quote Meaning: The quote, “To add growth, lead followers – to multiply, lead leaders,” speaks to the difference between managing a group and creating a widespread impact. Leading followers is akin to nurturing a team where your primary role is to guide and direct. This approach focuses on incremental progress, where your influence and direction help individuals advance and grow at a steady pace. In this model, growth is linear: you add value and development one step at a time.
However, when you aim to multiply, you’re shifting to a more expansive and transformative approach. Leading leaders involves fostering the potential in others so they can become leaders themselves. This method goes beyond direct influence to instill qualities and skills that enable others to inspire and guide their own groups. Here, the impact isn’t just additive but exponential. By empowering leaders, you create a ripple effect where each new leader can, in turn, develop more leaders, thereby amplifying the overall growth and success.
In essence, leading followers is about guiding and supporting those who need direction, while leading leaders is about cultivating autonomy and leadership qualities in others. The latter approach results in a more significant and widespread impact because it leverages the potential of multiple individuals who, in their own right, can influence and grow others. This shift from addition to multiplication reflects a deeper, more strategic way to achieve lasting and extensive growth.
Who said the quote?
The quote “To add growth, lead followers – to multiply, lead leaders.” is often attributed to John C. Maxwell (Quotes). John C. Maxwell is a renowned leadership expert and author, empowering individuals and organizations with his insights on effective leadership.
Chief Editor
Tal Gur is an impact-driven creator at heart. After trading his daily grind for a life of his own design, he spent a decade pursuing 100 life goals around the globe. Tal's journey and recent book, The Art of Fully Living, inspired him to found Elevate Society.
