Followers and Followers and FollowershipFollowership

AGED 3153AGED 3153

Thought for the Thought for the day…day…

““A river without a bank is a A river without a bank is a large puddle.”large puddle.”

~Ken Blanchard~Ken Blanchard

Why is it important to Why is it important to discuss followers?discuss followers? Individuals shift in and out of leader Individuals shift in and out of leader

and follower rolesand follower roles Everyone is a follower at one time or Everyone is a follower at one time or

anotheranother Leaders are influenced by actions, Leaders are influenced by actions,

attitudes and skills of followersattitudes and skills of followers Leaders must adjust style to the Leaders must adjust style to the

situation, including followers situation, including followers (contingency theories)(contingency theories)

Why discuss cont. Why discuss cont.

Northouse’s definition requires reciprocity and Northouse’s definition requires reciprocity and the mutual exchange of influence.the mutual exchange of influence.

Followers require many of the same qualities Followers require many of the same qualities as leadersas leaders

Performance of followers, leaders and the Performance of followers, leaders and the organization depend on one another.organization depend on one another.

Trend toward empowerment of team Trend toward empowerment of team members members

ExampleExample

US Navy study found that outstanding US Navy study found that outstanding ships were those staffed by followers ships were those staffed by followers who supported leader but also took who supported leader but also took initiative and did not avoid raising initiative and did not avoid raising issues or concernsissues or concerns

Commander Michael Abrashoff of USS Commander Michael Abrashoff of USS Benfold said “the highest boss should Benfold said “the highest boss should be the sailor who does the work – not be the sailor who does the work – not the person with the most stripes. the person with the most stripes.

Whiteside, D.E. (1985) Whiteside, D.E. (1985)

Follower treatment

Grassroots Leadership VideoGrassroots Leadership Video

Styles of FollowershipStyles of Followership

Robert E. Kelley (1992) Robert E. Kelley (1992) Describes 5 styles of followership:Describes 5 styles of followership:

– AlienatedAlienated– EffectiveEffective– PassivePassive– ConformistConformist– Pragmatic SurvivorPragmatic Survivor

Styles cont.Styles cont.

Styles categorized according Styles categorized according to two dimensions:to two dimensions:– Critical vs. dependent Critical vs. dependent

thinkingthinking– Passive vs. active behaviorPassive vs. active behavior

AlienatedAlienated EffectiveEffective

PassivePassive Conformist Conformist

Dependent, Uncritical Thinking

Independent, Critical Thinking

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Ac

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Pragmatic

Survivor

Alienated FollowerAlienated Follower

Passive, yet independent thinkerPassive, yet independent thinker Previously effectivePreviously effective

– May have experienced setbacks or May have experienced setbacks or frustrationfrustration

– Capable, but focus on shortcomings of Capable, but focus on shortcomings of organizationorganization

CynicalCynical Does not contribute to solving problemsDoes not contribute to solving problems

ConformistConformist

Active, but dependent, uncritical Active, but dependent, uncritical thinkerthinker

Carries out ordersCarries out orders Participates willinglyParticipates willingly Concerned with avoiding conflictConcerned with avoiding conflict ““Goes along to get along”Goes along to get along”

Pragmatic SurvivorPragmatic Survivor

Has qualities of all fourHas qualities of all four Changes style depending on situationChanges style depending on situation Uses whatever style benefits his/her Uses whatever style benefits his/her

positionposition Avoids risk and foster status quoAvoids risk and foster status quo 25-35% tend to be pragmatic 25-35% tend to be pragmatic

survivors survivors Ex. – government appointeesEx. – government appointees

PassivePassive

Passive and uncritical thinkerPassive and uncritical thinker Lacks initiative and sense of Lacks initiative and sense of

responsibilityresponsibility Needs much supervisionNeeds much supervision Leaves thinking to leaderLeaves thinking to leader

Effective FollowerEffective Follower

Active and Critical thinkerActive and Critical thinker Has courage to initiate changeHas courage to initiate change Open to risk and conflict to reach Open to risk and conflict to reach

goalsgoals Serves best interests of organizationServes best interests of organization Committed to something larger than Committed to something larger than

themselvesthemselves Works toward positive impactWorks toward positive impact

Leader’s Role in Developing Leader’s Role in Developing Effective FollowersEffective Followers

Manz & Sims’ (1987) Manz & Sims’ (1987) Self Management Leadership: Self Management Leadership: Lead others to lead themselves Lead others to lead themselves (support, (support,

empowerment)empowerment) Use self-directed teamsUse self-directed teams EmpowermentEmpowerment Act as coach and mentorAct as coach and mentor Provide encouragement and supportProvide encouragement and support Encourage critical, independent thinkingEncourage critical, independent thinking Provide ample information to performProvide ample information to perform

The Leader's Challenge The Leader's Challenge --

To make people's strengths effective and their weaknesses irrelevant.

~~Peter Peter DruckerDrucker

The Power of The Power of FollowersFollowers

Leaders are almost never as much in charge as they are pictured to be; followers are almost never as submissive as one might imagine. The state of mind of followers is a powerful ingredient...leadership is conferred by followers.

~ John Gardner~ John Gardner

ReferencesReferences Daft, R. (2002). Daft, R. (2002). The Leadership ExperienceThe Leadership Experience, Chapter 7, Chapter 7

Hegarty, Ch. (1985). How to manage your boss. NY: Ballantine.Hegarty, Ch. (1985). How to manage your boss. NY: Ballantine.

Kelley, R. E. (1992). Kelley, R. E. (1992). The power of followershipThe power of followership. NY: Doubleday.. NY: Doubleday.

Manz, C. & Sims, H. (1987). Leading workers to lead Manz, C. & Sims, H. (1987). Leading workers to lead themselves: The external leadesrhip of self-managing work themselves: The external leadesrhip of self-managing work teams. teams. Administrative Science QuarterlyAdministrative Science Quarterly, March, 106-129. , March, 106-129.

Rost, J. (1993). Rost, J. (1993). Leadership for the twenty-first centuryLeadership for the twenty-first century. . Westport, CT: Praeger.Westport, CT: Praeger.

Vecchio, R.P. (2000). Vecchio, R.P. (2000). Organizational behavior: Core conceptsOrganizational behavior: Core concepts. . Fort Worth: Dryden Press.Fort Worth: Dryden Press.

Whiteside, D. E. (1985). Whiteside, D. E. (1985). Command excellence: What it takes to Command excellence: What it takes to be the best!be the best! Dept. of Navy. Washington, DC. Dept. of Navy. Washington, DC.

Yukl,, G. (2001). Yukl,, G. (2001). Leadership in organizationsLeadership in organizations. Upper Saddle . Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.River, NJ: Prentice Hall.