Followership: Much is written about effective leadership, but little is discussed about effective followership, and yet we all have a follower role to play in our organisations. Votive Leaderships unique effective followership model is designed to improve engagement in all employees and to improve the manager / team leaders ability to generate effective followership in those they lead. This model challenges an individuals thinking, their behaviour and the environment they are creating. It is a performance improvement model designed for the 21st century. But do not be fooled by the term ‘effective followership’; this is most definitely a leadership model, the missing piece in the jigsaw of a company’s performance make up. Designed to release the potential in others, this model will run as DNA throughout all of Votive programmes, adding a depth and relevance to everything we do. http://www.votiveleadership.com/effective-followership/ http://votiveleadershipllp.wordpress.com/2013/06/04/followership-the-holy-grail-of-improved-employee-engagement/ http://www.votiveleadership.com/videos LinkedIn Votive Leadership Team: Votive Company Page - http://www.linkedin.com/company/70201... Keith - http://www.linkedin.com/pub/keith-sta... Alan - http://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?... Fiona - http://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?... Eddie - http://www.linkedin.com/company/70201... Jim - http://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?...

2. FOLLOWERSHIP

3. People do not follow leaders, they follow effective followers
Around a team meeting table the leader asks a question and,
although there may be many with questions, no-one will speak, until
the effective follower asks their question first, thereby giving
permission to everyone else to follow - not the leader.
This does not mean the leader’s role is redundant, but it does
question the main focus of the leaders’ attention. Leaders need to be
highly aware of the followers they are creating with their management
style and spend greater levels of energy and focus in nurturing the
environment to allow Effective followership to flourish. Without this
they run the risk of failing to achieve authenticity, a key leadership
trait.

4. The biggest challenge is that most people consider followership as a label
to put on an individual rather than a description of a behavioural trait
displayed by that individual at any given time. So although in followership
language we describe behaviour where an individual delivers no added
value, just does the task and gets through the moment as “sheep”
behaviour, readers automatically label the person. And yet many of us
display sheep behaviour at several times throughout the day. For example
turning up at a meeting having not looked at the agenda or prepared for the
subsequent discussions, sheep behaviour. Sitting in the back row of a
conference / training room and not participating, sheep behaviour. Silo or
ego based thinking, sheep behaviour.
Sheep

5. A third category of lesser effective followership are those behaviours
typified by people feeling they cannot say no or indeed ask for help.
How many times have we one this for fear of appearing inadequate
and incapable? These “yes” behaviours also hide the sycophants
who tell the boss what the boss wants to hear rather than what the
boss needs to know. I am sure you will agree that these behaviours
can be very dangerous for the company.
Never question what they are doing and complete the task. They will
actively support their manager and seek their favour. Weak leaders
confide in them as they see them as their allies.
Yes Men

6. And what about “alien” behaviour? When I visit companies I hear a
constant round of ‘pity me’ parties, where people are inviting others to
join in their criticisms of the management, the customer, the product,
the politician, the weather; the list is endless. These behaviours have
no regard for the effect they may be having on the other party and
subsequently damage engagement.
These are alienated from the organisation, the manager or the task
and as such moan about the problems. They use a lot of blame
language and rarely take responsibility for their own emotions. Disliked
by weak leaders because of their negativity, but rarely challenged. If
left unchallenged, can have a corrosive influence on the team.
Aliens

7. Politically astute in that they will run with which ever pack they
are currently with. Rarely put their heads above the parapet
and unwilling to volunteer or take measured risk. Typically the
most common group of follower found in business.
Survivors

8. Effective followers display high levels of courage and are
willing to take massive levels of responsibility.
These followers challenge decisions with the intent to
understand. They contribute well beyond the task in hand
and seek to engage on many levels. They are fundamentally
supportive and loyal, but are willing to question. Weak
leaders hate them, because they highlight the weak leaders
flaws. Their existence is threatened by corporate culture and
a high dependency on target driven management. Tend to
be an aspiration rather than common practice.

9. Followership
Model
Passive
Ac3ve
Ques3oning
SHEEP
YES
ALIEN
EFFECTIVE
SURVIVOR

10. How do we create effective Followers?
An effective leader is one who creates the right environment for effective
followership to flourish
Leaders must, however, set the tone within their organization to enable their
subordinates to be as effective as possible.
Empowerment of followers to contribute to the business goals is the prerequisite
to making followers effective. Empowering followers means training them in ways to
solve problems as well as allowing them to act without approval for every task. In
essence, empowerment enables followers to exert leadership over their specific area
of work.
Encourage positive Employee Engagement
Encourage Upward feedback

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