The Courageous Follower

Table Of Contents

Preface to Second Edition
Preface
Introduction
The Five Dimensions of Courageous Followership

1. The Dynamics Of The Leader-Follower Relationship
The Common Purpose and Core Values
The Paradox of Followership
Who Does a Follower Serve?
Loyalty of a Follower
Power in the Leader-Follower Relationship
Value of the Follower
Courage of the Follower
Balance Through Relationship
Mature Relationships
Differences in Elevation
Finding Equal Footing With the Leader
When the Leader Isn’t an Equal
Trust
Followers as Leaders
Working With Other Followers

2. The Courage To Assume Responsibility
Self-Assessment Followership Style
Eliciting Feedback
Personal Growth
Self-Management
Taking Care of Ourselves
Passion
Initiative
Influencing the Culture
Breaking the Rules
Breaking the Mindset
Improving Processes
Testing Your Ideas

3. The Courage To Serve
Conserving a Leader’s Energy
Organizing Communication Processes
Acquiring Access
The Responsibilities of Gatekeeping
Buffering a Leader
Defending the Leader
Buffering Others from a Leader
Acting in the Leader’s Name
Defining a Leader Publicly
Focusing the Creative Leader
Presenting Options
Knowing When You Don’t Know
Avoiding Insularity
Encouraging Peer Relations
Managing Crises
When the Leader Is Ill
Conflict Between Leaders
Formal Checkups
Building Relationships With Leaders

4. The Courage to Challenge
Appropriate Behavior
Preparing a Leader for Feedback
Giving a Leader Feedback
Giving a Leader Input
Challenging Indirectly
Avoiding Knee-Jerk Rejection
Overcoming Groupthink
The Duty to Obey
Challenging Abuse Early
Challenging the Use of Language
Arrogance
Leaders Who Scream
Personal Issues
Newly Elevated Leaders
Leaders Who Have Other Agendas
Leaders Who Won’t Challenge Their Leaders
Challenge Thyself, Too

5. The Courage To Participate
In Transformation
When Is Transformation Possible?
The Process of Personal Transformation: The Follower’s Role
The Follower as Catalyst
Channeling the Leader’s Frustration
Denial and Justification of Behavior
Dedication to Cause as Justification
Reactions to Confrontation
Identifying Transformation Resources
Using an Outside Facilitator
Creating a Supportive Environment
Modeling Change for a Leader
Modeling Empathy
Containing Abusive Behavior
Positive Reinforcement
Coping With Recurring Behavior
Realistic Expectations
Persistence
Validation

6. The Courage To Take Moral Action Leaving
Difficulty of Separation
Financial Contingencies
Offering to Resign
Query and Appeal
The Duty to Disobey
Threatening to Resign
The Dilemma of the “Unreasonable” Leader
Values Review
Follower Self-Examination
The Decision to Withdraw Support
The Responsibility to Blow the Whistle
Protecting Yourself
When Leaders Must Be Opposed
Evil Behavior
If We Decide to Stay

7. The Courage to Speak to the Hierarchy
The Challenge of Many Hands
Doing the Homework
Framing the Issue to Command Attention
Educating the Hierarchy
Circumventing the Hierarchy
Speaking Up in Multi-level Meetings
Finding Formal Platforms of Influence
Using Informal Platforms of Influence
Influencing the Metrics that Influence Thought
Patience, Performance and Persistence

8. The Courage to Listen to Followers
Do You Really Want Courageous Followers?
What Messages Are Number Twos Sending?
Appreciating and Accepting Support
Appreciating Constructive Challenge More
Inviting Creative Challenge
A Culture of Communication, Not Complaints
Creating Protected Communication Channels
Discernment—What Is the Right Action?
The Role of the Board
Responding to a Moral Stand
Growth as Both Leader and Follower
Epilogue
Meditation on Followership
Acknowledgments
Select Bibliography
Index
About the Author