This document discusses the concepts of followership and transforming hierarchical relationships into partnerships. It makes three key points: 1) Followers are not passive roles but instead share responsibility for a common purpose with leaders. Followers can influence leaders to better serve the common purpose and withdraw support from ineffective leaders. 2) Hierarchies can both promote and impede teamwork, depending on whether roles clarify responsibilities or inhibit information sharing. There is a need to transform hierarchical relationships into partnerships. 3) Followers demonstrate courageous followership by assuming responsibility, supporting leaders while also providing constructive challenge, and participating in organizational transformation. This helps address issues like unchecked candor that can arise in hierarchies.

1. The Courageous Follower
Transforming Hierarchies
into Partnerships
Leader Followers
Based on the Books
The Courageous Follower and The Art of Followership
Copyright 2010, Ira Chaleff. May be used with attribution

2. Why Followership?

3. Defining “Follower”
 Follower is a role assumed at various
times when working collaboratively.

4. Shifting Roles
Leader
Follower
Follower

5. Shifting Roles
Leader Follower Follower

6. Shifting Roles
LeaderFollower
Follower

7. Defining “Follower”
 Follower is a role assumed at various
times when working collaboratively.
 A follower shares responsibility for a
common purpose with a leader, wants
the activity to succeed, and works
towards this end.

8. Common
Purpose
The Courageous Follower: A New Model
of Leader-Follower Relationships
Leader Followers
Shared Values
Leaders and Followers
Serve a Common Purpose

9. Leaders and Followers
Serve a Common Purpose
Self-Interest Self-Interest
Leader Followers
Common
Purpose
Shared Values

10. Defining “Follower”
 Follower is a role assumed at various times
when working collaboratively.
 A follower shares responsibility for a common
purpose with a leader, wants the activity to
succeed, and works towards this end.
 In hierarchical organizations followers usually
accept the direction of superiors (formal
leaders) that serve the common purpose.

11. 11
Leader-Follower Organization
Leader-follower Leader-follower
Leader-follower Leader-follower
Leader-follower
Leader-follower Leader-follower Leader-follower
Leader-follower
Leader-follower
Source: Gene Dixon

12. How Do Hierarchies Promote
Teamwork?
 Hierarchical Structure: Externally
assigned roles that clarify decision-
making authority and accountability.
 Promote Teamwork: When known
roles and rules promote coordination,
collaboration and culture transmission
Source: Culbert and Ullman, Don’t Kill the Bosses: Escaping the Hierarchy Trap

13. How Do Hierarchies Impede
Teamwork?
 Hierarchical Relationships:
Internalized rules of behavior between
those at different levels of authority
 Teamwork: When unwritten rules
inhibit the flow of good information and
constructive ideas
Source: Culbert and Ullman, Don’t Kill the Bosses: Escaping the
Hierarchy Trap

14. Defining “Follower”
 In hierarchical organizations followers usually
accept the direction of superiors (formal
leaders) that serve the common purpose.
 Followers can influence formal leaders to make
choices that serve the common purpose better.

15. Followers are closer to the work and have
information/perspectives the leader needs

16. Defining “Follower”
 In hierarchical organizations followers usually
accept the direction of superiors (formal
leaders) that serve the common purpose.
 Followers can influence formal leaders to make
choices that serve the common purpose better.
 Followers can withdraw support from leaders
whom they feel are not serving the common
purpose well.

17. Need to transform hierarchical
relationships into partnerships
• Inverted pyramid in knowledge orgs
• Widespread access to information and
ease of making concerns public
• Increased use of networks in
organizational design
• Speed of turnaround required
• New professional development standards
for working with authority figures

18. Five Dimensions of
Courageous Followership
Courage
to:
Assume Responsibility
for common purpose
Support
leader and
group
energetically
Take Moral Action
when needed
Participate in
Transformation
Constructively
Challenge
counterproductive
policies &
behaviors

19. 19
Implementer Partner
High Support
Low Support
Resource
High
Constructive
Challenge
Low
Constructive
Challenge
Individualist
Followership Styles

20. Implementer Partner
High Support for Leader
Low Support for Leader
Resource
High
Willingness to
Question/
Confront
Low
Willingness
To Question/
Challenge
Individualist
Growth Directions for Each Style
* Self assessment on styles and growth paths available at www.bkpub.com

21. 21
Why do Leaders Need Partners?
What dynamics of Leader development and
behavior require Courageous Follower behavior?

22. 22
Visibility & Pressures Intensify
as Leader Rises
Regulation
Rivals
Interest Groups
Family
Press
Budget
Identity Groups
Litigation
Leaders Need Energetic Support

23. 23
Impact Magnifies as Leader Rises
Leaders Need Constructive Feedback

24. Interrupted Candor & Feedback
Leader Follower
2. Continued Poor Action
= No Learning
Inhibited
Feedback
Screened-out
Feedback
1.Action

25. 25
What impedes speaking
up to or for leaders?

26. 26
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
Physical Survival
Safety
Social Needs -
Belonging
Achievement,
Self Esteem
Self-
Actualization
Courage and Skill is Needed to Speak Up

27. Asch Conformity Experiment
Need to override tendency to conform
in face of group belief

28. Milgram
Compliance With Authority
Experiments

29. Doctor-Nurse Game
The interactions between the two were carefully
managed so as not to disturb the hierarchy

30. Surgical Safety Checklist
Requires voice of every team member
30

31. Followers will at times comply with authority
figures when they should not
How do you effectively
question or challenge a leader’s actions?

32. Appropriate Voice
at Different Levels of Concern
 Not sure, but there may
be cause for concern
 Concern not allayed
 Concern confirmed but
put into perspective
 Concern confirmed or
heightened
 Concern becomes
conviction
 Question tentatively
 Question pointedly/state
tentatively: “That doesn’t
fully address the concern”
 Acknowledge and affirm
support
 That increases my concern
because of _____
 Vocalize inability to support
and offer alternatives

33. 33
Creating Partnerships Down the
Hierarchy
 Courageous leaders recognize
speaking up is not easy
 They look for opportunities to create
the trust others need to risk speaking

An After Action Review

34. How do you reduce the effect
of hierarchy in team meetings?
 Non-hierarchical seating
 Don’t telegraph own preferences
 Use meeting roles to diffuse value of
hierarchical positions
– content leader, facilitator, timekeeper
 Rotate the Devil’s Advocate role
 Do not disparage ideas verbally or through
body language
 Vocally appreciate constructive divergence,
including “undiscussables”

35. How do very large hierarchies
impede partnering?
• Unrealistic to build
supportive relationships with
senior leaders
• Many filters occur between
follower and senior leaders
• Difficulty commanding
senior leaders’ attention

36. Creating Platforms to Reach Across Levels
 Encourage self
organizing groups
 Electronic MBWA
 Minority reports
 Accountability for
upward communication
 Reward constructive
dissent
 Other?

37. Common
Purpose
Q&A?
Leader Followers
Shared Values

38. 38
For more
information Leader-Follower
PartnershipThe Courageous Follower
www.courageousfollower.com
International Leadership Association’s
Followership Community of Learning
http://followership2.pbwiki.com/