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LEADERSHIP AND FOLLOWERSHIP

Warren Bennis, one of the pioneers of the study of leadership, has written:

But the longer I study effective leaders, the more I am convinced of the under-appreciated importance of effective followers."

What makes a good follower? The most important characteristic may be a willingness to tell the truth. In a world of growing complexity, leaders are increasingly dependent on their subordinates for good information, whether the leaders want to hear it or not. Followers who tell the truth, and leaders who listen to it, are an unbeatable combination."

Rob Goffee and Gareth Jones, who teach leadership at the London Business School, note that, "Leadership must always be viewed as a relationship between the leader and the led." They believe that followers are looking for four key things from their leaders:

• Authenticity - showing their human side not just a management persona
• Significance - making followers feel that their contributions matter
• Community - creating a feeling of common purpose and a desire to relate to colleagues
• Excitement - generating a buzz and a feeling of excitement

According to another writer on management, Robert E Kelley, effective followers share the following characteristics:

• They are good self managers
• They are committed to a greater good
• They are competent and focused
• They are courageous, honest and credible

Phillip S Meininger, a Colonel in the US Air Force, describes ten rules of good followership gleaned from over twenty years of experience "in taking orders, implementing policy guidance, and serving as an intermediate supervisor."

1. Don't blame your boss for an unpopular decision or policy; your job is to support, not undermine.
2. Fight with your boss if necessary; but do it in private, avoid embarrassing situations, and never reveal to others what was discussed.
3. Make the decision, then run it past your boss; use your initiative.
4. Accept responsibility whenever it is offered
5. Tell the truth and don't quibble; your boss will be giving advice up the chain of command based on what you said.
6. Do your homework; give your boss all the information needed to make a decision; anticipate possible questions.
7. When making a recommendation, remember who will probably have to implement it. This means you must know your own limitations and weaknesses as well as your strengths.
8. Keep your boss informed of what's going on in the unit; people will be reluctant to tell him or her their problems or successes. You should do it for them, and assume someone else will tell the boss about yours.
9. If you see a problem, fix it. Don't worry about who would have gotten the blame or who now gets the praise.
10. Put in more than an honest day's work, but don't ever forget the needs of your family. If they are unhappy, you will be too, and your job performance will suffer accordingly.