“And now let me speak to you of something which seems to me of the utmost importance, but which has been far too little considered, and that is the part of the followers in the leadership situation.” Mary Parker Follett Followership Followership Copyright Hilarie Owen International 2014

“Their part is not merely to follow, they have a very active part to play and that is to keep the leader in control of a situation. Let us not think that we are either leaders or -nothing of much importance… In no aspect of our subject do we see a greater discrepancy between theory and practice than here.” Mary Parker Follett Followership Followership Copyright Hilarie Owen International 2014

“Most of us are more often followers than leaders… followership dominates our lives and our organisations, but not our thinking because our preoccupation with leadership keeps us from considering the nature and importance of the follower.” Mary Parker Follett Followership Followership Copyright Hilarie Owen International 2014

 Alienated – capable but cynical  Conformist – Will actively follow orders  Passive – require constant direction  Exemplary – independent, innovative, work well with others, question the leadership Kelley’s types of followers Copyright Hilarie Owen International 2014

 They manage themselves well  They are committed to the organisation and to a purpose, principle or person outside themselves  They build their competence and focus their efforts for maximum impact  They are courageous, honest and credible Qualities of exemplary followers Copyright Hilarie Owen International 2014

 “If a person has initiative, self control, commitment, talent, honesty, credibility and courage, we say. ‘Here is a leader!’ By definition, a follower cannot exhibit the qualities of leadership. It violates our stereotype.  But our stereotype is ungenerous and wrong.” Follower or leader? Copyright Hilarie Owen International 2014

 “Followership is not a person but a role, and what distinguishes followers from leaders is not intelligence or character but the role they play.”  “In almost all organisations leadership is taught and encouraged while followership is not. Yet effective followership is a prerequisite for organisational success.” Followership is a role Copyright Hilarie Owen International 2014

 Redefine Followership: the way we define the roles influences the outcome of the interaction.  Honing Followership Skills: a programme that covers – independent critical thinking, building credibility, moving between the two roles, similarities and differences, acting responsibly Developing followership Copyright Hilarie Owen International 2014

 Performance Evaluation and Feedback: include followership as well as leadership  Organisational Structures that Encourage Followership: leaderless groups, rotating leadership in groups, delegation to the lowest level, use rewards to foster good followership. Developing followership Copyright Hilarie Owen International 2014

 Organisational turbulence created from failures of their leaders  “The responsibility of followers is to speak truth to power.” Bennis Crucibles of followership Copyright Hilarie Owen International 2014

Bennis tells how Nikita Khrushchev came to the US and met with reporters in Washington. The first question asked was: “Today you talked about the hideous rule of your predecessor, Stalin. You were one of his closest aides and colleagues during those years you now denounce. What were you doing all that time?” Apparently Khrushchev’s face grew red and he shouted: “Who asked that?” No one answered so again he roared even louder: “Who asked that?” Silence. “That’s what I was doing,” answered Khrushchev. A true story… Copyright Hilarie Owen International 2014

 Followers can evaporate a leader’s mask of power merely by dis-believing in it.  Authority does not reside in those who issue orders, rather, authority lies within the responses of those the orders are addressed to.  We willingly give up our power to buy freedom from risk and responsibility. The power of the powerless Copyright Hilarie Owen International 2014

 ‘I am free to do whatever I want, so long as it does not harm anyone.’  ‘I am free to do whatever I want, so long as it benefits more than just myself.’  What would people be doing differently? Followership Followership Copyright Hilarie Owen International 2014

 Confidence to do the job expected of them  Trust in their leader to tie outcomes to performance  Satisfaction with the outcomes they receive (Green 2000) Needs of followers Copyright Hilarie Owen International 2014

 Companies with employees who reported high levels of trust in their leaders had 108% three year return to shareholders.  Companies with employees reporting low levels of trust in leaders had 66% return. Impact on business Copyright Hilarie Owen International 2014

“Organisations stand or fall partly on the basis of how well their leaders lead, but partly also on the basis of how well their followers follow… Instead of seeing the leadership role as superior to and more active than the role of the follower, we can think of them as equal but different.” Kelley Organisations today Copyright Hilarie Owen International 2014

Effective followers are distinguishable by their enthusiasm and self reliant participation in the pursuit of organisational goals. The difference Copyright Hilarie Owen International 2014

Ineffective followers are often cynical, apathetic, and alienated, doing only what is asked. They focus on what can go wrong and doubt themselves because they dwell on problems rather than solutions so often see their fears materialise. Play the ‘blame game’ which spreads into low morale and production. The difference Copyright Hilarie Owen International 2014

 Followers today have far greater options, demands and expectations  They also expect more from leadership  Downsizing broke the trust creating a growth of uncommitted observers. Followership in 21 st Century Copyright Hilarie Owen International 2014

 Followers and leaders develop a relationship wherein they influence one another as well as the organisation and society, and that is leadership. They do not do the same thing in that relationship but both are essential to leadership.  We are all leaders and followers Leaders and followers now need to shape our organisations