Modern society suffers from a terminal misunderstanding of leadership. Everywhere you turn—classrooms, corporate retreats, TED Talks, LinkedIn manifestos—you are told to lead. Children are instructed to “be leaders, not followers.” Managers are told to “own the room.” Even universities, once devoted to the pursuit of truth, now churn out “leadership programs” as if producing commanders for an invisible army. But in this loud, self-congratulatory chorus, one critical truth has been lost: before one can lead, one must learn to follow.