Do you have good vision — the big-picture kind, not the eyeglass kind? Are you a self-starter?
Can you discern good direction from bad? Are you assertive and bold enough to speak out when you fear the ship is sinking?
Sounds like you've got what it takes to be a great …
Follower.
It's true. If you haven't heard this workplace buzzword, you will soon. "Followership," as opposed to leadership, is where it's at, whether we're talking mom-and-pops, international corporations or religious organizations. You might even improve your marriage using followership skills.
Growing research on the 21st-century workforce supports the notion that a hierarchical workplace — i.e., "I'm the boss and you're not!" — is increasingly ineffective, particularly with telecommuters and younger workers who thrive on collaboration.
Business schools are rethinking their curricula; books are championing the concept, and blogs including creativefollowership.com are springing up.
Unfortunately, this doesn't mean you get a raise for sitting at your desk bingeing on "Breaking Bad" reruns. Being a great follower takes effort. And pluck. And diplomacy.