In the leadership field the word “follower” has always been, and remains, problematic. Among the several frustrations with the words “leader” and “follower” is that, as these words are usually used, sometimes leaders don’t lead, and followers don’t follow. Still, I cannot claim that leadership is a system (as opposed simply to a person) without taking into account, in addition to leaders, followers.
Given I am writing here about the crisis in and around Ukraine and given the leader at center of the action is Russian President Vladimir Putin, I am using the word follower as broadly defined. In this situation Putin is the leader because he initiated the action. He started this crisis, and he continues, so far, in large part to determine what happens next. Everyone else, including Presidents Joe Biden and Volodymr Zelenskyy, are followers in that Putin is obliging or even compelling them to respond to what he does. Putin is the actor. Everyone else is a reactor.
Here a partial list of Putin’s followers:
- President Volodymr Zelenskyy. Putin has transformed him into a hunted man. Zelenskeyy has been forced into hiding – he now speaks to his people, to the world, from a bunker.
- President Joe Biden. Putin has pushed him into being a wartime president. The Russian has derailed the best laid plans of the American – not what Biden bargained for.
- Chancellor Olaf Scholz. Putin has got him to do what many thought impossible: commit to Germany’s spending more than 2% of its annual economic output on defense.
- Prime Minister Viktor Orban. Putin has obliged the Hungarian leader and Putin admirer publicly to pivot. Publicly to side with the European Union to oppose Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
- President Ignazio Cassis and Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson. Putin got the Swiss government, led by Cassis, finally to break with its centuries-long history of neutrality. And Putin got the Swedish government, led by Andersson, finally to break with its own long, previously rock-solid history of neutrality. Both governments have come out decisively in defense of Ukraine. And both are putting money where their mouths are.
- Russian oligarchs. Putin made some of the world’s wealthiest people – Russian men who, for decades, gave their leader unswerving, unquestioning, servile support – take a second, more jaundiced look at their onerous patron. A few have had the temerity publicly to question Putin’s decision.
- Russian people. Putin inspired relatively large numbers of Russians to, at great personal risk, take to the streets to protest the Russian invasion. People power was used against Putin in some 48 cities across the country.
- Russian government/ Russian military. Putin has pushed both into a massive military undertaking targeted directly against men, women, and children previously described as their brethren.
- Big Business. Putin has triggered an exodus of companies from Russia, many of which have worked profitably in the country for years. From oil and gas companies to large banks to automobile manufacturers, many are leaving, one of the reasons Russia’s economy is cratering.
- Ukrainian people. Putin has made them hate him. He has motivated Ukrainians to become fierce fighters, ready, willing and able members of a massive resistance. But he has also upended them, endangered them, maimed them, and killed them. He has coerced them into a state of widespread privation, pressured them by the hundreds of thousands to flee their homes, and forced them to fear for their lives.