The Secret to Leading Well? First, Learn to Follow

July 13, 2025 by Mike Manazir – (4-5 minutes)

Before you can command a team, you must earn the trust to be led.

It began with shock and awe. Not from the roar of jet engines or the pressure of combat—but from a white cotton uniform, a clean shave, a shouted command, and a room full of young men and women learning the same lesson: before you can lead, you must first learn to follow.

It was Induction Day at the U.S. Naval Academy. The Chesapeake Bay summer draped over us like a hot, wet towel. A thousand hopeful civilians sat in folding chairs in Tecumseh Court, not yet midshipmen, dressed alike but still individuals—until the moment came.

“Having been appointed a midshipman in the United States Navy…”

And just like that, I was no longer Mike Manazir, a kid from California. I was Midshipman Manazir. And everything changed.

Why the Navy Started Me With Follower-ship

That first day was chaos—intentional chaos. We were “chopping” down hallways shouting “Go Navy, Sir!” and “Beat Army, Sir!” while navigating a gauntlet of screaming First Class Midshipmen. It felt absurd, even cruel. But beneath the surface, there was a method to the madness.

They were breaking us down so they could build us up. But not as individuals. As a team. As followers.

You see, the Navy wasn’t interested in how much we already thought we knew. It wasn’t interested in bravado. It was interested in trust. Could we follow orders? Could we serve something bigger than ourselves? Could we buy in to a mission that required obedience, discipline, and humility?

What I learned in that crucible would carry me through 35 years of naval service and countless leadership roles. And the first truth I learned was this: Before you can lead, you must first learn to follow.

Leadership Starts with Follower-ship

In my book Learn How to Lead to Win, I unpack this truth as the foundation of all leadership growth. If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by leadership, like you’re not ready to lead—good. That means you’re paying attention. And here’s where you begin:

1. See yourself as a leader-in-training. Model the attitudes and actions of great leaders around you. Support the mission even before you carry it.

2. Be a team player. Show up. Step up. Be ready with ideas. Serve others. Reliability is the currency of trust.

3. Know the “why.” You must believe in the mission. Deep in your soul. If you don’t—have the courage to walk away. Buy-in is everything.

4. Practice confidence and humility. Trust your leader. Trust your team. And develop the humble discipline to know it’s not about you. It’s about the vision. It’s about the team.

Humble leaders are trustworthy leaders. And trustworthy leaders build teams that win—over and over again.

From the Yard to the Flight Deck

That summer, I learned how to brace up, salute properly, and make hospital corners at the foot of my bed. But what I really learned was how to earn trust—by learning to follow first. That’s what leadership is all about.

It’s not power. It’s not prestige. It’s service—to the mission, to the team, to something greater than yourself.

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Leadership starts with follower-ship. Let’s build leaders who earn trust—by giving it first.

Mike Manazir
Rear Admiral, U.S. Navy (Ret.)
Author of Learn How to Lead to Win

P.S. Know someone who’s starting their leadership journey?
Forward this to a friend.
Or better yet—send them the book.

Let’s raise up a generation of leaders who know how to lead from their heart; who know how to Lead to Win.

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