Chapter 7 Followership

“All over this country, corporations and government agencies, there are millions of executives who imagine that their place on the organizational chart has given them a body of followers. And of course it hasn’t. It has given them subordinates. Whether subordinates become followers depends on whether the executives act like leaders.” John Gardner

Critical and Uncritical Thinking Thinking independently and being mindful of the effects of one’s own and other people’s behavior on achieving the organization’s vision. Uncritical Thinking Failing to consider possibilities beyond what one is told; accepting the leader’s ideas without thinking.

Passive or Active Behavior Passive Behavior Uninvolved Needs constant supervision Avoids responsibility Active Behavior Fully engaged Demonstrates a sense of ownership Problem solver Involved in decision making

Ex. 7.1 Followership Styles Independent, critical thinking Alienated Effective Passive Pragmatic Survivor Active Passive Conformist Dependent, uncritical thinking

Kelley’s Power of Followership Alienated Passive, yet independent Critical, independent thinkers Focus on shortcomings of organization and leaders Conformist Participates actively but does not use critical thinking skills Participates willingly without thought to consequences Avoids conflict

Kelley’s Power of Followership Pragmatic survivor Has qualities of all four extremes Uses what benefits his/her position Political Avoids Risk

Kelley’s Power of Followership Passive Follower Is not a critical or independent thinker Is not active in participation Do what they are told to do Effective Follower Independent and critical thinker Active in the organization Does not avoid risk or conflict Acts willingly Capable of self-management

Meilinger’s Ten Rules of Followership 1. Don’t blame your boss for an unpopular decision or policy; your job is to support, not undermine. 2. Fight with your boss if necessary; but do it in private, avoid embarrassing situations, and never reveal to others what was discussed. 3. Make the decision, then run it past the boss; use your initiative. 4. Accept responsibility whenever it is offered. 5. Tell the truth and don’t quibble; your boss will be giving advice up the chain of command based on what you said. 6. Do your homework; give your boss all the information needed to make a decision; anticipate possible questions.

Meilinger’s Ten Rules of Followership 7. When making a recommendation, remember who will probably have to implement it. This means you must know your own limitations and weaknesses as well as your strengths. 8. Keep your boss informed of what’s going on in the unit; people will be reluctant to tell him or her their problems and successes. You should do it for them, and assume someone else will tell the boss about yours. 9. If you see a problem, fix it. Don’t worry about who would have gotten the blame or who now gets the praise. 10. Put in more than an honest day’s work, but don’t ever forget the needs of your family. If they are unhappy, you will be too, and your job performance will suffer accordingly.

Demands on an Effective Follower Have to be willing to express their ideas and what they stand for Courage to assume responsibility Courage to serve Courage to challenge Courage to participate in transformation Courage to leave

Ex. 7.2 The Maturity Continuum Sharpen the Saw Interdependence 5 6 Seek First to Understand Then to be Understood Synergize PUBLIC VICTORY Think win-win 4 Independence Put First Things First 3 PRIVATE VICTORY Begin with the End in Mind Be Proactive 1 2 Dependence

Sources of Follower Power Personal Sources Knowledge Expertise Effort Persuasion Position Sources Location Information Access

Ex. 7.3 Ways to Influence Your Leader Be a Resource for the Leader Determine the leader’s needs. Zig where the leader zags. Tell leader about you. Align self to team purpose/vision. Help the Leader Be a Good Leader Ask for advice. Tell leader what you think. Find things to thank leader for. Build a Relationship Ask about leader at your level/position. Welcome feedback and criticism. Ask leader to tell you company stories. View the Leader Realistically Give up idealized leader images. Don’t hide anything. Don’t criticize leader to others. Disagree occasionally.

Ex. 7.4 Rank Order of Desirable Characteristics Desirable Leaders Are Honest Forward thinking Inspiring Competent Desirable Colleagues (Followers) Are Honest Cooperative Dependable Competent

Ex. 7.5 The Feedback Process Observation Follower misses deadlines repeatedly. Development Follower given training in self-management, team allocated work based on personal skills. Assessment Follower lacks self-management skills. Consequences Team members resent delays to team projects.

Optimizing Feedback Make regular feedback a habit Use elements of storytelling Being generous with positive feedback Train followers to view feedback as an opportunity for development

Dialogue A type of communication in which each person suspends his attachment to a particular viewpoint so that a deeper level of listening, synthesis, and meaning evolves from the whole community

Leading Others to Lead Themselves Strive toward collaborative relationships Self-management leadership Share power and responsibility Coach and mentor Offer encouragement Remove barriers Provide constructive feedback Empower followers

Communities of Practice Made up of individuals who are informally bound to one another through exposure to a similar set of problems and a common pursuit of solutions

Communities of Practice Inclusivity Positive culture Conversation Caring and Trust Shared Leadership