Barbara Kellerman is a lecturer at Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government who studies leadership and followership. She identifies five types of followers based on their level of engagement: Isolates, who are completely detached; Bystanders, who observe but do not participate; Participants, who are engaged in some way; Activists, who feel strongly about their leader and act accordingly; and Diehards, who are prepared to die for their cause or leader. Kellerman analyzes followers based on their rank or behavior relative to their leader. Her typology aims to understand different levels of follower engagement and the implications for leaders.

1. Followership
Barbara Kellerman
2008
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2. About the Author
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• James MacGregor Burns Lecturer in Public Leadership
at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of
Government
• 2010 she was given the Wilbur M. McFeeley award by
the National Management Association for her pioneering
work on leadership and followership
• And in 2014 she was ranked by Global Gurus 13th in the
“World’s Top 30 Management Professionals.”
• PhD in Political Sc in 1975 from Yale
• Books:
– Leadership: Multidisciplinary Perspectives;
– The Political Presidency: Practice of Leadership;
– Bad Leadership;
– Followership;
– Women and Leadership (co-edited in 2008 with Deborah
Rhode);
– Essential Selections on Power, Authority, and
Influence (2010);
– The End of Leadership (2012)
– Hard Times: Leadership in AmericaSrc: http://www.hks.harvard.edu/about/faculty-staff-directory/barbara-kellerman
Barbara Kellerman

3. Robert Kelley’s Followership
Styles
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Src: http://www.leadershipletters.com/2003/02/13/kinds-of-followers/

4. Ira Challeff’s Followership
Styles
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Src: http://2012books.lardbucket.org/books/an-introduction-to-organizational-communication/s09-02-followership.html

5. Barbara’s Followership
• Followers can be identified by: Rank or
Behavior
– Rank: subordinate who has less power, authority
and influence, and influence than do their
superiors
– Behavior: going along with what someone else
wants and intends
• “... implies a relationship (rank) between
subordinate and superior, and a
response(behavior), of the former to the latter.”
• Prefers Rank over Behavior for her analysis
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6. Barbara Kellerman’s Typology
(1/3)
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Levels of engagement spectrum
Isolates Bystanders Participants Activist Diehard
• Based on her training as a political scientist
• Similarity/Differences in context between government and business
leaderships
Are completely
detached
Observe but do
not participate
Are in
someway
engaged
Feel strongly
about their
leader and act
accordingly
Prepared to
die for their
cause,
individual/idea
/both
Ex:
Participatory
governance
and voters!

7. Typologies Cont... (2/3)
Bystanders
• Case: Nazi Germany
• Akin to free-riders
• Individual responsibility (we
are our brothers keepers)
• Difficult to break the habit
of standing by and doing
nothing
• To withdraw is to cede to
those who have more
power, authority and
influence than we do the
right to decide
Participants
• Case: Merck (Vioxx)
• Provide everyday energy
but could go their own way
• When inexpert leaders lead
expert followers, the former
must closely monitor the
later
• Knowledge workers donot
benefit from weak leader
• Beware of mental blocks
• Too committed to best-
sellers
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8. Typologies Cont... (3/3)
Activists
• Case: Voice of the Faithful
• Care a great deal
• Asset to their fellow followers
• They could be dangerous and
so should be watched
• Given time and resources
they are serious power to
recon – shift existing order
• Both a major resource and a
major bane from leader’s
perspective
Diehards
• Case: Operation Anaconda
• Rare
• Leaders have a special
responsibility in those
situations in which lives are
at risk
– Reciprocal relationship
– Loyalty – sensitivity
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9. Characteristics on the
Typologies• Isolates: they donot care about their leaders, or know anything about them, or respond to them in
any way. Their alienation is, nevertheless, of consequence. By default – by knowing nothing and
doing nothing they strengthen still further leaders who already have the upper hand
• Bystanders: they make deliberate decision to stand aside, to disengage from their leaders and
from whatever is the group dynamic. This withdrawal, is effect, a declaration of neutrality that
amounts to tacit support for whoever and whatever constitutes the status quo.
• Participants: they clearly favor their leader and the groups, or clearly opposed. In either case,
they care enough to put their money where their mouths are – that is invest some of what they have
to try have an impact
• Activists: they are eager, energetic and engaged. Because they are heavily invested in people and
process, they work hard either on behalf of their leader or undermine and even unseat them
• Diehards: they are deeply devoted to their leader, or are ready to remove from position of power,
authority and influence by any means necessary. Diehards are defined by their dedication,
including their willingness to risk life and limb. Being Diehard is all-consuming. It is who you are
and determines what you do.
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10. QUESTIONSTHANK YOU
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