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Chapter 7

Followership

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Chapter Objectives

Recognize your followership style and take steps to become a more effective follower.Understand the leader’s role in developing effective followers.Apply the principles of effective followership, including responsibility, service, challenging authority, participating in change, and knowing when to leave.Implement the strategies for effective followership at school or work.Know what followers want and contribute to building a community among followers.

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Critical and Uncritical Thinking

Critical ThinkingThinking independently and being mindful of the effects of one’s own and other people’s behavior on achieving the organization’s vision.

Uncritical ThinkingFailing to consider possibilities beyond what one is told; accepting the leader’s ideas without thinking.

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Ex. 7.1 Followership StylesIndependent, critical thinking

Dependent, uncritical thinking

Passive Active

Passive

Alienated Effective

Conformist

Pragmatic Survivor

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Ex. 7.2 The Maturity Continuum

Interdependence

PUBLIC VICTORY

Independence

PRIVATE VICTORY

Dependence

Think win-win

Seek First to Understand Then to be Understood

Synergize

Put First Things First

Be ProactiveBegin with the End in Mind

Sharpen the Saw7

5 6

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1 2

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Sources of Follower Power

Personal SourcesKnowledgeExpertiseEffortPersuasion

Position SourcesLocationInformationAccess

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Ex. 7.3 Ways to Influence Your Leader

Be a Resource for the Leader

Determine the leader’s needs.Zig where the leader zags.Tell leader about you.Align self to team purpose/vision.

Build a Relationship

Ask about leader at your level/position.Welcome feedback and criticism.Ask leader to tell you company stories.

Help the Leader Be a Good Leader

Ask for advice.Tell leader what you think.Find things to thank leader for.

View the Leader Realistically

Give up idealized leader images.Don’t hide anything.Don’t criticize leader to others.Disagree occasionally.

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Ex. 7.4 Rank Order of Desirable Characteristics

Desirable Leaders Are

Honest

Forward thinking

Inspiring

Competent

Desirable Colleagues (Followers) Are

Honest

Cooperative

Dependable

Competent

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Ex. 7.5 The Feedback Process

1. ObservationFollower misses deadlines repeatedly.

2. AssessmentFollower lacks self-management skills.

3. ConsequencesTeam members resent delays to team projects.

4. DevelopmentFollower given training in self-management, team allocated work based on personal skills.

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Dialogue

A type of communication in which each person suspends his attachment to a particular viewpoint so that a deeper level of listening, synthesis, and meaning evolves from the whole community

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Communities of Practice

Made up of individuals who are informally bound to one another through exposure to a similar set of problems and a common pursuit of solutions