When we talk about leadership, most of us imagine someone standing in front of a room — giving direction, inspiring others, and making big decisions. We think of the visible leader, the one whose name gets remembered.
But what if leadership isn’t only about being in front? What if true leadership sometimes means stepping aside, listening, or saying, “I’ll follow you”?
This question has stayed with me throughout my journey as an entrepreneur and community builder. Over the years, I’ve come to realize that leadership and followership are not opposites — they’re partners. You can’t have one without the other, and knowing when to lead and when to follow is what creates real impact.
Quiet Leadership Through Strengths
Growing up, I never saw myself as a leader. In school, leadership seemed to belong to the sporty, confident, outspoken students — the head girls, the prefects, the team captains. I wasn’t one of them. I was the academic achiever, the one who studied hard, who thrived in exams and projects. To me, that didn’t look like leadership. It just looked like me doing what I was good at.
But looking back, I now see that showing up with your strengths is a form of leadership. When you consistently use your abilities and show excellence in your lane, you naturally earn trust and respect. People start to see you differently — not because you have a title, but because you deliver, again and again.
That was my first lesson: leadership doesn’t always announce itself. Sometimes, it’s simply showing up and doing your best.
Finding My Place in Business
When I joined my husband in Redbox Studio, our web development business, I wasn’t given a leadership role. I wasn’t even formally invited into the business! But I found my own way to contribute — through writing, communication and later, speaking. Those were the areas where I felt confident and could add value.
There was no title, no position, no “leader” label. Yet that experience taught me that leadership often begins quietly — when you notice a gap and decide to fill it.
It’s about stepping forward, not because someone asked you to, but because you see a need and care enough to do something about it.
Organic Leadership: How It All Began
About two years into the web development business, I co-founded a women entrepreneurs’ group with my friend, Josephine. It wasn’t planned. We didn’t set out to create an association or build a movement. We just wanted a few women to meet once a month, on a Friday evening to talk about business and share experiences.
What began as six women gathered around a table grew to thirty, and eventually to something much larger. Next year, we’ll celebrate the 20th anniversary of that association — and I’m deeply proud of what we’ve built. We’ve helped so many women entrepreneurs in Penang and beyond find a sisterhood in entrepreneurship.
And it all began with one small act of showing up. Leadership, in that sense, wasn’t assigned. It was earned through commitment, consistency, and care. That’s what I now call organic leadership — the kind that grows naturally because you step forward to make a difference.
The Power of Followership
But here’s what we often overlook: that women’s group wasn’t my idea. It was Josephine’s. She had the vision long before I did. And when she shared it with me, I didn’t hesitate — I said yes.
In that moment, I wasn’t the leader. I was the follower. And that decision — to support, to co-create, to follow — became the foundation of something extraordinary.
Followership isn’t passive. It’s powerful.
It’s the energy that turns ideas into action. Without followers who believe in the vision, even the best leaders can’t make things happen.
Too often, we glorify leadership and overlook the courage it takes to follow. But in truth, every strong movement, every thriving organization, and every successful project relies on people who are willing to trust, to collaborate, and to move in the same direction together.
The Dance Between Leading and Following
There’s a metaphor I love: sometimes you need to be on the balcony, and sometimes you need to be on the dance floor.
On the balcony, you see the big picture — you gain perspective, you strategize. On the dance floor, you’re in the action — you execute, you make things happen.
Both are necessary and valuable. Leadership and followership work exactly the same way.
Sometimes you’re called to step forward, to lead the way. Other times, the wiser move is to step back and support someone else’s vision. The beauty lies in knowing which role is needed at the right time.
Redefining What Leadership Means
Here’s what I’ve come to believe:
- Leadership isn’t about titles or hierarchy. It’s about showing up and taking responsibility, even when no one’s watching. Especially when no one’s watching. That’s true leadership without fanfare.
- Followership isn’t lesser than leadership. It’s about trust, humility and choosing to contribute to something bigger than yourself.
- True impact happens when leaders and followers move fluidly between roles. When people have the wisdom to step up or step back as needed, that’s when magic happens.
Where in your life right now are you being called to lead? And where might you be called to follow?
Because both roles matter. Both create change. And sometimes, the greatest leaders are also the ones who know how to follow well.
If this reflection resonates with you, I’d love to hear your own experiences with leadership and followership. Connect with me on LinkedIn or send me a message using the Contact form.
Leadership isn’t about titles. It’s about timing, context, and the courage to step forward — or the wisdom to step back.