CHAPTER ELEVEN FOLLOWERSHIP © Prentice Hall 2006 11-1

Learning Objectives After reading this chapter, you should be able to do the following: Describe followership behaviors and provide specific examples of followership behaviors. Explain why effective followership behaviors can have positive influences on group and organizational performance. Describe ineffective followership behaviors and the negative influences they can have on group and organizational performance. © Prentice Hall 2006 11-2

Learning Objectives After reading this chapter, you should be able to do the following: Identify how group members can become more effective in followership behaviors by increasing their technical competence and developing social skills. Identify follower characteristics that are helpful in carrying out followership behaviors. Identify organizational and task characteristics where followership behaviors would be highly effective and where they would not be effective. © Prentice Hall 2006 11-3

Followership An interactive role individuals play which complements the leadership role and is equivalent to it in importance for achieving group and organizational performance. © Prentice Hall 2006 11-4

Effective Followership Behaviors Demonstrating job knowledge and competence while working without close supervision and completing work tasks on time. Demonstrating independent critical thinking. Showing initiative in taking on responsibilities, participating actively, seeing tasks through to completion, and taking responsibility for one’s own career development. Offer information, share viewpoints, or take issue with decisions or actions that may be unethical or ill-advised. Build collaborative and supportive relationships with coworkers and the leader. © Prentice Hall 2006 11-5

Effective Followership Behaviors Exert influence on the leader in a confident and unemotional manner to help the leader avoid costly mistakes. Show up consistently when needed and accurately represent the leader’s interests and views. Set work goals that are action-oriented, challenging, measurable, and aligned with group and organizational goals. Demonstrate proper comportment for the organization. This may include manner of speech, dress, grammar, and etiquette. Demonstrate a concern for performance as well as a supportive and friendly atmosphere within the work group. © Prentice Hall 2006 11-6

Followership Behaviors Demonstrate job competence & autonomous performance Take on responsibilities, participate & complete projects Demonstrate independent critical thinking & creativity Followership Behaviors Build positive relationships with leader & coworkers Offer information & share viewpoints Accurately represent leader’s interests Span group and organizational boundaries Goal setting with concern for group performance © Prentice Hall 2006 11-7

Examples of Ineffective Followership Conformist followers are intellectually lazy because they allow the leader to make moral decisions for which they are responsible. Passive followers act morally only under someone else’s prodding. Apathetic, passive, or cynical followers exhibit a spectator-like noninvolvement that invites abuse by unethical leaders. Pragmatic followers are unwilling to disturb the status quo to do something worthwhile. Ineffective followers expect training and development to be served to them. © Prentice Hall 2006 11-8

Traits and Skills A high degree of expertise or technical competence extensive education and/or relevant work experience Good social skills builds cooperative relationships with leaders and coworkers forms effective relationships with important outsiders has sense of humor Shares attitudes and values with their leader Flexible—can adapt to changing demands and environments Maturity, a sense of confidence and self-esteem. © Prentice Hall 2006 11-9

Sources of power Expert power Referent power intelligence, competence, and critical thinking skills Referent power sociability, flexibility, and ability to handle stress © Prentice Hall 2006 11-10

Effects of Followership Followership behaviors resulted in higher performance ratings by superiors. Followership behaviors may result in increased motivation, satisfaction, feelings of empowerment, and group cohesion. © Prentice Hall 2006 11-11

Situational Factors and Followership Factors that Enhance Followership The leader is frequently absent or distant from followers. task competence, taking initiative, actively participating, and thinking independently may be especially critical for team performance Followers' work tasks are highly complex or interdependent. task competence and activities which build cooperation with co-workers are probably especially important for group performance Followers' group faces frequent emergencies, high risk situations, or rapid change. speaking up, task competence, proactive initiative, and concern for performance are probably especially important © Prentice Hall 2006 11-12

Situational Factors and Followership Factors that Substitute for Effective Followership The leader is very active in external boundary-spanning by gaining resources for the unit, building and maintaining networks with key outsiders, and facilitating important exchanges for the group. A leader that is unusually adept at critical thinking, creativity, and inventiveness. © Prentice Hall 2006 11-13

Situational Factors and Followership Factors that Decrease the Effectiveness of Followership A domineering, autocratic and self-centered leader. A leader that does not value followers who show initiative and who think for themselves © Prentice Hall 2006 11-14

Applying the Tentative Model of Followership 1. DIAGNOSING THE SITUATION Is the leader often physically distant from followers? Are followers’ tasks highly complex and/or interdependent? Does followers’ group face frequent emergencies, high risk, or rapid change? If “yes” to one or more of these questions, then leaders will probably respond favorably to followership behaviors. 3. MODIFYING FOLLOWERS AND SITUATIONS 2. PROVIDING FOLLOWERSHIP BEHAVIORS Followers demonstrate: Job competence & autonomy Independent critical thinking & creativity Proactively taking responsibility, participating & completing projects Speaking up to offer information & views Building positive relationships with leader & coworkers Exerting influence on the leader Spanning group & organizational boundaries Goal setting with concern for group performance Accurately representing leader’s interests Demonstrating proper comportment by interacting in a considerate manner Create neutralizers for dominant self-centered leaders (such as increasing physical distance from leader) Create interdependent projects with other individuals or groups Identify rapidly changing environmental factors © Prentice Hall 2006 11-15