Let me take you back a few years—back to a version of me that shadowed my mentor like a soldier on a mission. Wherever he went, I was right there, notepad in hand, ears wide open, eyes soaking in every single move like it was gold dust. We weren’t just having meetings—we were tearing through expressways in the dead of night, chasing ideas and inspiration at 100 mph. We bounced from event to event like rockstars on tour. Sleep? What’s that? Growth was the only agenda.
That season of my life was nothing short of epic. It wasn’t just mentorship; it was bootcamp for destiny. I absorbed wisdom like a sponge in the desert—strategies, mindset, posture, faith, vision—it was divine download after download.
Years have passed, and guess what? I’m still learning. Still following. Still growing. But something shifted. I’m no longer just the student—I’ve become the one others now watch, lean toward, and learn from. The same way I once clung to the wisdom of my mentor, people now come to me for direction, guidance, light.
So when I hear the question, “Are you a leader or a follower?”—my answer is simple: I’m both. And proudly so.
You cannot truly lead if you haven’t mastered the art of following. You can’t pass the torch if you’ve never held the flame. Leadership and followership aren’t opposite ends of a spectrum—they are two parts of a divine dance. I follow those who have gone ahead, whose values shake me to my core and whose lives inspire me daily. But I also lead—I take charge, I speak up, I pour out, I pass on the wisdom that’s been entrusted to me.
And here’s what I want you to hear: We should follow people we look up to—those whose values resonate with us deeply—but we must not stop there. We need to take the lead as well. Take charge. Own your story. Share what you’ve learned. Pass on the mantle you’ve carried. Because leadership is not about arriving—it’s about contributing. It’s about lighting the path behind you while still learning from the light ahead.
The learning loop never stops. It can’t. The moment you stop learning, you stop leading.
Jesus said it best: “He who wants to be great must first be a servant.” So yes—I follow Christ first and foremost. I follow the giants He has placed in my path. And now, I lead—not because I’ve arrived, but because I’ve been called to shine. To show up. To pour out. To be a lighthouse for my generation.
So, are you a leader or a follower?
Why not be both—and do both fiercely?
Are you a leader or a follower?
Michael Okunloro | Elevate Your Style 