Jul 22, 2014 · Here are three ways that you, as a leader, can create these conditions: Take time – to understand and help your followers apply their strengths. Research shows that strengths based leadership significantly increases engagement which leads to greater follower commitment. Create connections – through community.
Followership is cool because it explores an often understudied aspect of leadership—a side where followers engage in critical thinking and work together with leaders to achieve success. Students in the class will study different theories and definitions of followership and learn how followers often become subtle, yet influential leaders ...
Feb 21, 2014 · In week four we will cover: Followership; Framework design; Kelley (1988, 1992) remarked that we exist in a leadership role about 20% of the time and the other 80% of the time we operate as a follower. The prominence of followership in a postindustrial paradigm of leadership is highly contested and seldom taught through college student ...
Creating Followership. Volume: July 2014. By Doug Van Dyke, Leadership Simplified, www.leadershipsimplified.com. Raymond admires Ivan’s leadership abilities. The two leaders have worked for the same company for eight years and have collaborated on a number of projects and initiatives. During that time Raymond, a capable leader, has struggled ...
In terms of improving the organization, followership theory explains how organizational factors can lead to ineffective follower behavior over time. At the same time, it provides a path for developing effective followers, which ultimately translates into better mission command.
Alienated followers are critical thinkers who lack positive motivation, making their responses the hardest to predict. 12 Depending on how cynical they are toward the commander and his guidance, alienated followers may choose to take their own path or simply act like sheep.
Mission command doctrine recognizes that military organizations require effective leaders and equally effective followers. 24 Through a practical understanding of followership theory for both operating in and improving the organization, military leaders can better equip themselves to employ mission command.
Lt. Col. Mikail Kalimuddin is a Field Artillery officer in the Singapore Army. He holds a BA in political science and economics and an MA in economics from Brown University and is a graduate of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.
Figure 3 depicts a strategy that leaders can use to structure their teams for better mission command. The goal is to leverage the strengths of each followership style while mitigating the weaknesses.
Yes people display positive energy, but without critical thinking they run the risk of misinterpreting the commander’s intent and charging down the wrong path. Even as the situation evolves, yes people are likely to continue with whatever course of action they were instructed to follow. It is easy enough to imagine how this can result in catastrophe when the operating environment is complex and dynamic. Yes people may request new instructions if the current approach does not appear to be working, but that is as much as a commander should expect in terms of initiative. Finally, yes people take the commander’s word as gospel even if glaring flaws exist. Sheep respond like yes people but without the same enthusiasm; they take little action without constant prodding from the commander.
Learn the art of creating followership with people who work for you. Followership is the capacity of an individual to actively follow a leader and is the reciprocal social process of leadership. Without followers, you are a meandering tourist.
The loyalty is to the common goal. COMMUNICATION. Mastering verbal communication is important for you both as a follower and a future leader. Observe those who are skilled in this art. Learn to exercise discretion to determine when to speak and when to hold your ego. How you speak will determine your acceptability.
As a good leader, stay attuned to what’s happening, figure out what the issue is and constantly tweak your style of leadership to prevent an exodus of your followers. Good leaders are good followers first. CAPABILITY. As a great follower and future leader, first develop competence.
Couch potatoes: They are low on energy and do not think for themselves. They require direction and motivation from you. A substantial part of your thinking is dedicated to figuring out how to get them up and going in the required direction. Use the principle of authority to persuade them.
Entrepreneurs: They are high on energy, positive in their contributions and are independent thinkers. They challenge your thinking and are not afraid to speak their mind. Once they are rationally convinced of the path you have chosen, they require no supervision and can solve problems on their own.
Fence-sitters: Also the pragmatists —they are in the middle on both the energy and thinking axis. They will rarely follow an unconventional idea or leader. Wait and watch is their style. Once they find your leadership is widely accepted, they will jump in too.