Reading T. Harry Williams’ Lincoln and His Generals has been an eye-opener into the leadership/followership dynamics of the Civil War. It’s easy to put Lincoln on a pedestal as the great emancipator and steady hand during a national crisis—but what struck me most was how often those under him undermined his effectiveness. The President wasn’t just fighting the Confederacy; he was battling the dysfunction of toxic followers in his own ranks.
One name rises to the top: General George B. McClellan, the self-styled “Young Napoleon.” History remembers him less for military victories and more as the problem child of the Union Army. While entrusted with supreme command, McClellan became infamous for failing to align with his Commander-in-Chief. Page 63 of Williams’ book makes the damning observation: “McClellan knew the pressure on Lincoln, but he made little attempt to advise or help the President.”
That line is the essence of toxic followership.
The Poison of Misalignment
Toxic followers are not always insubordinate in an obvious sense. McClellan saluted smartly enough and kept up appearances. But beneath the surface, he withheld information, dictated only what he thought Lincoln “needed” to know, and projected contempt toward the very man he was called to support.
One of the most striking incidents was when Lincoln went personally to see him, waiting patiently for the general to return to his quarters. McClellan walked right past the Commander-in-Chief and went directly to bed without so much as a word. That single act of disregard spoke volumes. It wasn’t just poor manners—it was poisonous followership.
McClellan’s failure was not just in strategy—it was in influencing up. By refusing to align, he turned what could have been a powerful leader–follower partnership into a constant drain on Lincoln’s energy and focus.
Lincoln’s patience with him was remarkable, perhaps even excessive. Again and again, the President tried to coax, coach, and collaborate with his general. Yet McClellan consistently undercut that trust. A leader can carry a nation through civil war, but without aligned followers, the load becomes unbearable.
Aligning Up: The Follower’s Highest Duty
In my soon to be released, The Tremendous Power of Followership, I write that “great followers don’t just perform tasks; they actively contribute to their leader’s success”. Aligning up is not about sycophancy—it’s about synergy. The follower’s role is to complement the leader, fill in the gaps, and provide the honest counsel and loyal execution that allow the mission to advance.
Contrast McClellan with Robert E. Lee on the Confederate side. Whatever else can be said about him, Lee aligned with Jefferson Davis: he kept his President informed, sought his input, and shared both burdens and insights. One general built trust, the other hoarded it.
The Lesson for Us Today
Leadership students often ask me about aligning with their leader. My answer is always the same: it is the most important role you will ever have in developing your own leadership chops. Before you can effectively lead down, you must learn to lead up.
Influencing up requires:
- Keeping leaders informed – never surprising them.
- Respecting the position – disagree with dignity, but never diminish authority.
- Filling the gaps – shore up your leader’s blind spots with your strengths.
- Acting for shared purpose – not personal pride.
McClellan failed in all four. His ignorance was not tactical alone; it was relational, organizational, and spiritual.
Conclusion: A Warning for Followers
T. Harry Williams’ portrait of Lincoln and his generals reminds us that leadership failures are often rooted in followership breakdowns. Toxic followers may be brilliant, charismatic, and even indispensable in theory, but if they refuse to align, they drain their leader instead of sustaining him.
As Elbert Hubbard once wrote, “If you work for a man, for God’s sake, work for him. If he pays you your bread and butter, think well of him, speak well of him.” That doesn’t mean blind loyalty—it means alignment in mission, communication, and execution.
McClellan never learned this. Lincoln bore the cost. And history records it as a cautionary tale for every follower who thinks they’re too important to align.
