Followership

Disciplines > Leadership > Followership

The nature of leadership can perhaps be best understood by turning the coin over and studying followership. Why do people
follow leaders? If we can understand this, then we will be a long way down the road to creating those followers and hence
becoming an effective leader.
People don't just follow anyone. You can't just say 'follow me' and expect people to follow out of the goodness of their hearts.
You have to give them good reason for them to follow.
Key aspect of creating followers:

 The Leader-Follower loop: Leaders create followers create leaders.

 Five reasons to follow: From coercive push to the pull of inspirational vision.
 Followers and Respect: Both leader and solution are important.
 Followers and Trust: I will follow someone I trust.
 Followers and Liking: I will follow someone I like.
 Followers and Support: I will follow someone who supports me.
 Followers and Ideas: I will follow ideas, not objectives.
 Non-followership: Why people do not follow.
Also:

 Zaleznik's follower typology: Based on control and activity.

 Kelley's follower typology : Five different types.
 Kellerman's follower typology: Five different types.
 Chaleff's follower typology: Based on type of support.
The principle of followership was summed  by the 19th century British Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli, who said, 'I must follow
the people. Am I not their leader?'
See also
The Leadership Challenge, The leader-follower dance
http://www.exe-coach.com/arti.htm#leaderFollowerRelationships

The Leader-Follower loop

 
Disciplines > Leadership > Followership > The Leader-Follower loop
 Followers respond | Leaders notice | The dance continues | See also
 
Leaders who want to create  true followers do not just stand at the front of the army, yell 'charge' and then run forward. They
may be surprised if they do that the army is still standing where they stood. And yet many would-be leaders do just this. They
think they can be leaders just by telling people to follow them. And then they are surprised when people do not.
Followers respond
Followers are seldom blind. They are human, and pay attention to what their leaders say and do. And then they respond with at
least some degree of intelligence.
Gossip
If the leader does something that concerns them, then they will voice these concerns to one another long before letting the
leader know. The first sign for the leader that all is not well in the camp is often the sound of the tom-tom drums as followers
signal their anxieties to one another.
Pack response
There may well be some level of pack response from followers. That is, there may not seem to be any particular leader, but
they all seem to move at around the same time. If the leader does not hear the gossip, then they should most definitely notice
changes in behavior.
Leaders adjust
If leaders do not do anything about the situation, then followers, who are volunteers, remember, will abandon in droves. Just as
they will follow as a pack, they will also leave in the same concerted manner.
Noticing
At some point in the proceedings, the leader notices that followers are not as inclined to follow as they once were. They hear
the gossip drums and the creaking of the overactive grapevine. They spot subtle (or not so subtle) changes in behavior.
Diagnosing
When the shift in follower behavior is noticed, the next step is to figure out why, and particularly to know whether and how to
connect this to the leader's own words or actions, or at least to external events that have shifted the playing field.
Adjusting
When you know where it is going and why it happened, then you can do something about it. So leaders adjust what they are
saying and doing to hopefully bring the ship back onto an even keel.
The dance continues
And so the band plays on.
It is a closed system, with followers responding to leaders, who themselves adjust in response to this. Leadership and
followership is thus an ongoing dance, a dynamic interplay in which each closely monitors the other and responds accordingly.

Five reasons to follow

 
Disciplines > Leadership > Followership > Five reasons to follow
Fear of retribution | Blind hope | Faith in leader | Intellectual agreement | Buying the vision | See also
 
There are many reasons to follow. Here are five levels of rationale that followers can use when deciding to follow a leader. Note
how they start off as negative and become more positive. If you are seeking to lead people, it is a jolly good idea to get a good
understanding of why will they follow you.
Fear of retribution
"If I do not follow, I may lose my job!"
Following out of fear is not so much following as being tugged along at the end of a rope. The leader in such cases is using
coercive push methods that will work only as long as the follower sees no other choice.
Fear is not the tool of effective leaders (and certainly not ethical leaders). At best, fear-based approaches gain weak
commitment and need constant attention lest the follower freezes or flees.
Blind hope
"We must do something. I hope this works!"
Here, the follower is desperate for some solution, and what the leader is offering is either the only option they see or the best of
a relatively weak set of choices. The follower is thus not so much following out of agreement but from a lack of alternatives.
Leaders should watch out for hopeful followers, who are likely either to be disappointed and disillusioned when less than a
perfect outcome ensues, or who will jump ship and follow others if they give them more hope.
Faith in leader
"What a great person. If anyone knows the answer, they do!"
In this situation, the follower is blind to the solution but is following because they have such faith in the leader, they believe that
they will, by some magic or genius, provide the answer to the follower's needs.
Again, there is significant hope in this motivation and could lead to disappointment, but at least there is more commitment to the
leader, and failure is more likely to lead to the follower accepting situational explanations rather than point the finger at
inadequacies in the leader's capabilities.
Intellectual agreement
"What a good idea. That makes real sense."
Here, the follower understands the logic of the argument that the leader is putting forward and hence is following the rationale
rather than the leader as a person, who they may respect but are not blindly following.
This level of followership is typical of educated people who need to understand the reasons why things happen. They may also
have emotional commitment, but it typically comes on after rational buy-in has occurred.
Buying the  vision
"What a brilliant idea. I don't care who thought of it."
When people buy a vision, they are emotionally closing on a view of the future that is appealing to them in some way
andpulls them forward. They are not following the leader and the logic of how they will get to the vision is something they are
happy to put off to a later date.
Visions are much talked about in the leadership literature, and can be remarkably effective at motivating people, but only if they
can be sustained over a period of time. It is one thing to have a vision and it is another to keep going during the difficult days
that are typical of the journey there.
See also
Pull and Push principles, Hope, Logic principle
 

Followers and Respect

 
Disciplines > Leadership > Followership > Followers and Respect
 | See also
 
When a person is evaluating a situation and deciding whether to collaborate (and hence become a follower), they judge both
the leader and also the solution the leader is offering to determine what action they will take.
The resulting style of followership can be displayed in this grid:
 
Respect for the solution
   
Weak Neutral Strong
 Blind Powerful
Strong  
Faith Buy-in

Respect for Neutral   Wait and See  

the leader

Outright Blind
Weak  
Opposition Hope

 
Respect for the leader
When the leader is respected, which means they are at the very least trusted and probably liked as well, then this enables the
leader to make proposals that followers will take seriously.
If the respect for the leader is strong, then the followers will likely accept the solution being offered, even if they are not that
convinced by the arguments that the leader is putting forward.
If the leader is not respected, then people will follow them only if they see no other viable choice.
Respect for the solution
When the solution is respected, then the respect for the leader is not as important, although if the leader is not respected then
the followers may doubt the ability of the leader to make the right choices along the way. Blind hope is what happens when they
cross their fingers and hope that the leader will not make mistakes.
The best outcome, of course, is both that the leader is respected and also that the solution they are proposing is also
respected, in which followers will buy powerfully into the solution.
See also
Trust principle, Logic principle
Followers and Trust
 
Disciplines > Leadership > Followership > Followers and Trust
Care and concern | Reliability | Honesty | See also
 
People follow those they trust. If I do not trust you, then I will not follow you. Trust is thus a fundamental basis for followers.
Care and concern
We all have a very basic need for safety, which we can get either by taking control ourselves, or, as followers do, ceding this to
our leaders. In doing so, they are trusting the leader to take reasonable care of them.
Passive concern
Leaders make choices that can harm people. If you carefully avoid harming me, then I can trust you. Leaders should be
constantly aware of how their actions affect people, and at the very least seek to 'do no harm'.
Active care
Beyond a passive concern is the active care where you may take deliberate action, which you would not otherwise take, to look
after and actively care for me.
If you care for me, then I will know that you will not hurt me. Leaders who demonstrate active concern for the people around
them trigger reciprocal concern.
Reliability
Leaders need for their followers to trust that they will do as they say they will do. People base this decision on theevidence that
they perceive. If the leader is not completely reliable in completing what they say they will do, then they will be judged as
unreliable.
Keep your promises
A simple rule for leaders is : 'Do what you say'. Keep your promises. This also means that you must be very careful in making
promises. It can be convenient to promise something in the short term in order to get commitment, but if you break that promise
you will find that the commitment will not be forthcoming the next time.
Honesty
The problem with honesty is that the short-term implications can be bad for leaders. Telling the truth can be painful. It can show
you up as being less competent as you wanted to appear. Giving bad news can lead to shock and dismay.
Tell the whole truth
If you always tell the truth, including the unvarnished whole truth and bad news that others might hide, then I know that when
you say something, I have the complete story. Leaders are truthful, and do not shy from giving bad news.
See also
Trust principle, Evidence principle

Followers and Liking

 
Disciplines > Leadership > Followership > Followers and Liking
 Goodness | Similarity | Vulnerability | See also
 
If I do not like you, then I will not follow you. But if I like you (or at least respect you) then I will pay attention to you.
Goodness
If I judge you to be good, then I know you have similar values to me. People with similar values share the same social rules and
judge each other to be worthwhile. Similar values also encourage people to feel that they are in the same social grouping as
one another. They say 'I am like you' and hence 'I like you'.
Effective leaders understand the values of their followers and, at the very least, avoid breaking them wherever possible.
Similarity
We use external similarity as a short-cut to determine if a person is like us on the inside. If you seem to be like me, from the
clothes you wear to the way you speak to the common experiences we have shared, then I will like you and trust you.
Leaders have the 'common touch' that lets them speak to others in their own language, as an equal.
Vulnerability
We see ourselves as vulnerable, often with the sense of being a child that we all have to some degree. We see our failings, our
limitations, and weaknesses.
Leaders who appear perfect do not seem to be like us, and so we will distance ourselves more from them. Leaders who
demonstrate vulnerability are showing themselves to be human, just like me, so I will follow them - just so long as that
vulnerability is not in an area that may threaten me or may prevent the leader from effective leadership.
See also
Bonding principle, Trust principle, Wilfred Bion
Values
Followers and Support
 
Disciplines > Leadership > Followership > Followers and Support
Goals | Support | See also
 
People follow those that help them. If we seem to be heading in the same direction and what we want is roughly the same
thing, then it make sense to work together.
Goals
Where the personal goals of the followers are aligned with the direction that the leaders is pointing, then it seems like a good
idea to follow the leader, especially if it looks like they will be able to help me get what I want.
If I look at a leader and they seem to want the same thing that I do, then I will assume that they will want to support me in my
strivings.
Leaders should thus take time to understand the personal goals of their would-be followers, and thus find some workable
combination of gently shifting or reframing their own and the follower goals so they align.
Support
I will also follow a person who actively helps me to get what I want. In my seeking to achieve my goals, I often cannot do it all
myself and need the support of others, who may lend a hand, money authority or otherwise help me in my work.
When goals are aligned, it makes sense for leaders to support followers. It can also be a good idea to provide support for other
goals, which both demonstrates care and sets up an exchange. When you give me support, I will,  in return, support you.
Leaders actively support followers and help them get what they want.
See also
Exchange principle

Followers and Ideas

 
Disciplines > Leadership > Followership > Followers and Ideas
Objectives as instructions | Objectives as ideas | Ideas as inspiration | See also
 
People will follow an idea, but not constraining objectives, then I may do it, but not in a way that makes me want to follow you.
Objectives as instructions
Objectives are useful in most organizations, of course, but they are often presented as fixed instructions, telling people what
to do and how to do it in so much detail that it leaves little to the imagination.
Objectives in this sense become prisons, constraining people in mental straitjackets that prevent them from independent
thinking. This is not a very motivating situation, and leads either to taciturn compliance or outright rebellion.
Even when not so tightly constrained, objectives are a management tool rather than something that leaders rely on as a
primary source of motivation.
Objectives as ideas
Objectives can be used to motivate and leaders can make effective use of formal systems of objective-setting to provide
effective challenge and stimulation that will motivate people not only to do the work but also to follow the leader.
 The trick with motivating objectives is to make them broad enough and with enough scope that people feel a sense of
excitement and challenge.
When I am faced with a challenging objective and where I am given just enough resource to do the job, then I will be
motivated to take up the baton and will feel a strong sense of achievement when I complete it.
Ideas as inspiration
Inspiration occurs when an idea both aligns with my values and also gives me a sense of possibility, of what is not now but
which could be in the future. It might thus change my beliefs and mental models.
Ideas typically cause initial confusion followed by a pleasurable 'aha' experience. An ongoing tension is then created with a
motivating gap between the now of no idea implemented and the desirable future of the idea happening.
Ideas are thus vectors that provide force and direction, motivating people to follow in the direction of the idea.
See also
Tension principle, Contrast principle

Non-followership
 
Disciplines > Leadership > Followership > Non-followership
Refusal | Desertion | See also
 
What is the opposite of followership? If we can identify what followership is not then we can understand more of what it is, and
so what leadership is.
Refusal
The first way of not becoming a follower is to refuse to accept the invitation. A leader approaches a possible follower and seeks
to change their mind in a way that will convince the person to follow. However, the person may not buy the argument or may
refuse because they do not trust or like the putative leader.
When the leader first appears, then overcoming refusal is a critical activity. If you cannot persuade anyone, then leadership
does not get off the ground.
Desertion
If following is moving towards the leader, then the opposite must be moving away from the leader. If the person has already
'signed up' then you could describe their departure as 'desertion'.
Many people desert through disappointment, where initial promise is not fulfilled. This can come from poor leadership. It can
also come from unrealistic expectations where the follower is expecting a savior rather than a leader.
A good leader works constantly on keeping followers engaged and preventing desertion, setting and meeting stretching but
realistic expectations.
Physical desertion
In organizations, when people are unhappy they are at liberty to leave for another job. One of the highest cited reasons for
leaving is a problem with one's manager, which is clear evidence of failed leadership and consequent desertion of followership.
'Attrition', or the percentage of the workforce that leave the organization in a single year, is therefore a useful measure of overall
leadership in the organization.
Emotional desertion
As well as the more visible physical desertion, people perhaps more often indulge in emotional desertion. This is the state of no
longer buying into the leader or their ideas. It is the transition of going from a follower back to being just a subordinate. By
implication also it means the leader (if they truly ever were one) also goes back to being a manager.
Emotional desertion happens where the leader's words do not match their actions. They start with expert appeals and a
desirable vision. However, their implementation leaves a lot to be desired and people become disillusioned and so desert them,
emotionally at least, in droves.
See also
Emotions

Zaleznik's follower typology

 
Disciplines > Leadership > Followership > Zaleznik's follower typology
Impulsive | Compulsive | Masochistic | Withdrawn | See also
 
Harvard professor Abraham Zaleznik described an early model of followership, base on the two dimensions of submission vs.
control and activity vs. passivity. These were based in Zaleznik's Freudian perspective.
Controlling followers want to control their superiors, whilst submissive followers want to be told what to do. Active followers
initiate and intrude, whilst passive ones sit back and let things happen.
 
 
  Dominance  
(controlling)
  
Impulsive Compulsive
  Passive
Active mode of
mode of behavior   behavior
Masochistic Withdrawn
 

  Submission  
(being controlled)
 
Impulsive
Impulsive followers are often rebellious, trying to lead whilst being led. They are sometimes spontaneous and 
courageous.
Compulsive
Compulsive followers want to dominate their leaders, but hold themselves back. They typically feel guilty about their compulsive
tendencies.
Masochistic
Masochistic want to submit to the control of the authority figure, even though they feel discomfort in doing so. In this way they
gain pleasure from being dominated.
Withdrawn
Withdrawn followers care very little or not at all about what happens at work and consequently take little part in work activities
other than doing the minimum necessary to keep their jobs.
See also
Psychoanalysis
Zaleznik, A. (1965), The Dynamics of Subordinacy, Harvard Business Review, May-Jun 1965

Kelley's follower typology

 
Disciplines > Leadership > Followership > Kelley's follower typology
Alienated | Passive | Conformist | Pragmatic | Exemplary | See also
 
Carnegie Mellon professor Robert Kelley identified five different follower styles.
Alienated followers
Alienated followers are deep and independent thinkers who do not willingly commit to any leader.
Passive followers
Passive followers do as they are told but do not think critically and are not particularly active participants.
Conformist followers
Conformists are more participative than passive followers, but do not provide particular challenge.
Pragmatic followers
Pragmatic followers are middling in their independence, engagement and general contribution.
Exemplary followers
Exemplary followers are ideal in almost all ways, excelling at all tasks, engaging strongly with the group and providing intelligent
yet sensitive support and challenge to the leader.
See also
Kelley, R. (1992). The Power of Followership, Bantam Dell

Kellerman's follower typology

 
Disciplines > Leadership > Followership > Kellerman's follower typology
Isolates | Bystanders | Participants | Activists | Diehards | See also
 
Barbara Kellerman, has described a typology of followership based on the level of engagement. She sees good followers as
actively supporting effective and ethical leaders and responding appropriately to bad leaders. Bad followers are seen as making
no contribution and supporting the wrong types of leader.
Isolates
Isolates care little for their leaders and do not particularly respond to them. These are often found in large companies, where
they are do their jobs and keep their heads below the parapet.
Bystanders
Bystanders disengage from the organization, watching from the sidelines almost as an observer. They go along passively but
they offer little active support.
Participants
Participants care about the organization and try to make an impact. If they agree with the leader they will support them. If they
disagree, they will oppose them.
Activists
Activists feel more strongly about their organizations and leaders and act accordingly. When supportive, they are eager,
energetic, and engaged.
Diehards
Diehards are passionate about an idea a person or both and will give all for them. When they consider something worthy, they
becomes dedicated.
See also
Kellerman, B. (2007). What Every Leader Needs to Know About Followers. Harvard Business Review, December 2007, pp. 84-
91

Chaleff's follower typology

 
Disciplines > Leadership > Followership > Chaleff's follower typology
Implementers | Partners | Individualists | Resources | See also
 
Ira Chaleff classified followers based on the extent to which they support leaders as opposed to how much they challenged
them. Good followership is seen as a skill that requires courage and that blind obedience is not good followership.
Good leaders are also good followers and vice versa. The roles are seen to be not simply separated.
Implementers
Implementers are the majority workhorses of organizations, taking orders and completing them with any real questions.
Partners
Partners like to be treated as equals to the leader, although they respect the leader's position. They are thus strong supporters
but will provide intelligent challenge where they deem necessary.
Individualists
Individualists are not easy followers and will tend to think for themselves and prefer to do as they want.
Resources
Resources do what is requested of them, but little more. They are blindly obedient but lack the intelligence or courage to
provide challenge.
See also
 
Chaleff, I. (1995). The Courageous Follower, Berrett-Koehler
 
http://followership2.pbwiki.com