How we change what others think, feel, believe and do

Followership

The nature of leadership can perhaps be best understood by turning the coin over and studying followership. Why do people follow leaders? If we can understand this, then we will be a long way down the road to creating those followers and hence becoming an effective leader.

People don't just follow anyone. You can't just say 'follow me' and expect people to follow out of the goodness of their hearts. You have to give them good reason for them to follow.

Key aspect of creating followers:

The Leader-Follower loop: Leaders create followers create leaders.
Five reasons to follow: From coercive push to the pull of inspirational vision.
Followers and Respect: Both leader and solution are important.
Followers and Trust: I will follow someone I trust.
Followers and Liking: I will follow someone I like.
Followers and Support: I will follow someone who supports me.
Followers and Ideas: I will follow ideas, not objectives.
Early Followers: Who follows first?
Non-followership: Why people do not follow.

Also:

Zaleznik's follower typology: Based on control and activity.
Kelley's follower typology : Five different types.
Kellerman's follower typology: Five different types.
Chaleff's follower typology: Based on type of support.

The principle of followership was summed by the 19th century British Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli, who said, 'I must follow the people. Am I not their leader?'

Followership

See also