Courageous follower: Chapter 1

• Courageous followership is built on the foundation of courageous relationship– The danger in the leader-follower relationship

is the assumption that the leader’s interpretation must dominate

– View of hero-leaders/villain leaders vs. view of common person heroes who stay true to their own lights while helping leaders follow theirs.

Paradox of followership

• Followers are accountable for (as well as to) their leaders.

• Clear internal vision of service (?).• Remain fully accountable for their own

actions.• Perform two opposite roles:

– Implementer– Challenger

• Must be willing to teach the leader.

Who does a follower serve?

• Follower is not synonymous with subordinate.

• Resources of a group include its leader. Follower is a leader’s steward every bit as much as a leader is the follower’s steward.

• Levels of service, p. 16

Loyalty of a follower

• Both leaders and followers are entering into a contract to pursue the common purpose within the context of their values. The loyalty of each is to the purpose and to helping each other stay true to that purpose.

Power in the L-F relationship

• Of purpose• Of knowledge• Of personal history• Of faith in self• To speak the truth• To set a standard that

influences others• To choose how to react in

a situation regardless of the reaction of others

• To follow or not to follow in a given direction

• Of relationships, networks• To communicate through

a variety of channels• To organize others of like

mind• To withdraw support if the

leadership’s actions violate our values.

Value of the follower

• Dynamic followers are self motivated, not leader motivated.

• Characteristics: cooperative, collaborative, control their ego needs, caring – perceive the needs of both the leader and other group members and try to form a bridge between them.

Courage of the follower• An individual who is not afraid to speak and act

on the truth as she perceives it, despite external inequities, is a force to be reckoned with.

• Courage implies risk• Develop contingency plans• Sources of courage: religious beliefs,

philosophy, role model, vision, vow from past experience, event that tested us, conviction we hold, value, empathy for others, self-esteem, commitment to comrades, outrage felt toward injustice.

• “Courage muscle” develops to the degree that we exercise it.

Balance through relationship

• Leaders are the flame that ignites action, they generate and focus power; followers are the guarantors of the beneficial use of that power

• Followers provide balance if they can stand up to leaders– Develop trust– Use that trust to speak honestly when

appropriate.

Mature relationships

• We are conditioned for others to be responsible for our behavior but we are not held responsible for theirs.

• Immature leaders surround themselves with followers that kowtow to them.

• Skillful followers confront a leader in a way that simultaneously respects the accomplished adult, preserves the adult’s self-esteem, and challenges the immature behavior.

Difference in elevation

• 70% of followers will not question a leader’s point of view even when they feel the leader is about to make a mistake.

• “King’s disease” – leaders lose touch with reality.– Effective leaders need courageous followers

to keep them connected to reality.

Finding equal footing

• We are not our titles. We need not be seduced, dazzled, or intimidated by the symbols of higher office.

• See the leader as the individual that they are; relate to the individual, not the title.

When the leader is not equal (the most capable person is not the leader)

• Deal with our own feelings• Cover for the leader or let the leader appear

unprepared?• Guiding principle should remain service to the

organization. As long as the leader is giving her best energy to the role, she deserves our private and public support

• The mark of a great leader is the development and growth of followers. The mark of a great follower is the growth of leaders.