One of the most important components of leadership is the leader. A leader is responsible for his followers and the overall goal of the group or organization. Leaders are the people held accountable for everything that happens, good or bad. On the other hand, the second major component of leadership is followers. Without followers, a leader would be worthless. Followers form the backbone of a leader because they are the masses who achieve goals. A leader is just one person, but the number of followers is infinite. To be an effective follower, there are an infinite number of characteristics that allow a follower to be at their best. Five of these characteristics include a positive attitude, communication skills, being part of the process, being open to new ideas, and patience. The first characteristic, a positive attitude, is important because having the ability and enjoyment of working with other people in a team environment is a useful skill. A sincere sympathy and respect for other people is a wonderful asset. Being well-liked will definitely help in teamwork or any other social situation. Humor and warmth are effective in being a good team member. A follower who focuses on positive thoughts while filtering out negative ones is on the path to leadership. President Dwight D. Eisenhower often said, “No pessimist ever won a battle.” People who have a positive outlook on both life and specific situations tend to achieve their goals more often. The choice and determination to maintain an event-tempered disposition no matter what; hence the ability to smile in the face of adversity and make things a little brighter for everyone. Communication skills are the second characteristic that helps make crazy… the medium of paper… the process. Strong leaders seek contributions from others in their organization, and strong followers seek to contribute whenever possible and appropriate. The fourth characteristic is openness to new ideas. Strong followers give input and contribute, but also realize that good ideas can come from others too. Listening to what others have to say can be extremely beneficial to the team as a whole. It is important that followers listen with their ears and their minds. The final trait an effective follower should possess is patience. There are times when people need to relax and wait for events or time to pass, regardless of whether they are a leader or a follower. On the other hand, there will also be times when people should push and not settle for the status quo. Critical thinking is an important part of being both a good follower and a good leader.