Vision

Leadership is an essential quality in American culture. But for leaders to be effective, they need people on their team who do “followership” well. Followership is a recognized term. It describes a mindset taught in settings such as the military, and it can be understood in many contexts, including sports. On the US Men's National Soccer Team, Tyler Adams creates space for Christian Pulisic, so that Pulisic does not have to do the work of scoring by himself. Adams has even captained the team, because the best follower is competent and independent enough to lead when the moment calls for it, yet still defines himself by the supporting role. A famous earlier pairing was Gattuso and Pirlo at AC Milan, from 2001 to 2011. Pirlo was the playmaker; Gattuso was the ball-winner. Students would benefit from learning about both leadership and followership. Individuals may find themselves naturally disposed to do one better than the other, and both roles are needed for a team to be effective.