"He who has never learned to obey cannot be a good commander" - Aristotle There is a discipline involved in being a good follower. It's not always easy to obey command with which you don't agree. As a follower you do so because you accept that you are being led and that your leader may have a bigger vision than your own. In addition you respect that decision because it has been made by a leader you have accepted. When a follower becomes a leader the experience of learning to obey is enormously valuable. The leader who has been a good follower can understand the frustrations of being led and can take that into account in making and implementing decisions.