"Leaders rarely use their power wisely or effectively over long 
periods unless they are supported by followers who have the 
stature to help them do so."
--- Ira Chaleff, The Courageous Follower, 2003

Organizations are successful or not partly on the basis of how 
well their leaders lead, but also on the basis of how well their 
followers follow. What is the role of the follower and how does 
it affect leadership behavior? 

When there is a crisis, when a company fails or commits some 
malfeasance, everyone cries out: "How could that have happened 
here? How come nobody said anything?" A look at recent corporate 
scandals reveals examples of not only leadership failure but 
also a serious lack of responsible followership.

No matter how much partnership and empowerment there is, the CEO 
has ultimate authority and responsibility. But the most capable 
team members fail when they gripe about their leader but do not 
say or do anything to help them improve or get back on track. 

New roles for everyone

The movement away from command and control leadership has 
brought new leadership styles that are more democratic and 
coach-like. There are also new ways of interacting in the 
follower role. Setting aside possible aversion to the term, 
the new flatter business organization requires more responsible 
followers.

Executive team members may be hesitant to speak up when the 
leader makes mistakes, whether they are made from the best of 
intentions or the worst. After all, "She's (or he's) the boss." 
Although we've grown beyond authoritarian leadership whereby 
followers have no accountability, we haven't yet developed a 
model for responsible participation at the follower level for 
the new leadership styles.

Five Patterns of Following

Robert E. Kelley, in his landmark article for HBR "In Praise of 
Followers" (1988), describes five types of followers in 
organizations.

   Sheep are passive participants and uncritical thinkers. They 
   lack initiative and responsibility. They perform the required 
   task and then stop.

   Yes People appear livelier but are also unenterprising. They 
   depend on the leader and are servile. Their participation 
   stifles creativity and energy.

   Alienated Followers are independent but passive thinkers. 
   They perform with cynicism. They seldom actively oppose or 
   speak up.

   Survivors believe "it is better to be safe than sorry." They 
   are adept at surviving change.

Effective Followers perform with energy and assertiveness. They 
are critical independent thinkers and will proactively challenge 
decisions. They are risk-takers and problem solvers. They can 
usually work without strong leadership.

Four Keys to Good Followership

There are four essential qualities of effective followers (from 
Robert E. Kelley, Harvard Business Review, Nov./Dec.1988).

1. Self Management: The key to being effective as a follower is 
   the ability to think for oneself. 

2. Commitment: They are committed to the purpose of the 
   organization, and to certain principles and values. 

3. Competence and focus: They have high standards of performance 
   and are continually updating their skills and abilities. 

4. Courage: They are credible, honest and have the courage to 
   speak up. They keep leaders and colleagues honest and 
   informed. 

In information-age organizations, hundreds of decentralized 
units process and rapidly act on varied input within the design 
and purpose of the organization. This requires an entirely 
different relationship between leaders and followers.

Part of the problem in following responsibly and pro-actively 
lies in the tendency for people to relate to authority figures 
as they would in a parent-child relationship. Early childhood 
memories deeply embedded in the subconscious mind trigger 
emotions in a split second. It doesn't take much (a look, a 
tone of voice) for anger or anxiety to be triggered by the boss. 
A degree of emotional intelligence can help regulate and allow 
more appropriate interactions.

The danger in the leader-follower relationship is the 
assumption that the leader's interpretation must dominate. If 
this assumption exists on the part of either the leader or the 
follower, creativity and problem-solving processes become 
stifled.

It is obviously not an easy task to speak up and challenge the 
leader, but without the courage and skill to do so, corporate 
scandals can ensue. Giving candid feedback to the boss is a 
skill that is not practiced as often as necessary. Working with 
a neutral party such as a consultant or executive coach can help 
a follower or executive team member to act courageously and 
effectively.

The full 2,000-word article expands on the following concepts:

Leading and Following: A Symbiosis
Five Styles of Following
Four Essential Qualities of Effective Followers
Four Keys to Developing Effective Followers
A List of Resources on Followership

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