Leadership or Followership: Exploring Your True Identity
Did you know that understanding your followership persona is just as crucial as recognizing your leadership qualities? Let me share an insight I wish someone had shared with me decades ago. It’s essential to find a role that leverages and nurtures your leadership skills and have a leader who aligns with and supports your followership traits.
While much has been written about leadership, followership often takes a backseat in discussions. However, they are two sides of the same coin, present in every individual. Throughout the day, consciously or unconsciously, we transition between the roles of leader and follower. Pairing a proactive follower with a hands-off leader or a passive follower with an empowering leader can lead to discord and inefficiency.
Before accepting your next position based solely on skill requirements and salary:
- Take the time to understand who you’ll be reporting to.
- Assess the leadership team to gauge whether you’ll have opportunities for advancement or if your role may stagnate.
- Consider the level of autonomy your leader will provide.
It might not be the right fit if they tend to micromanage and you thrive in creative freedom. Similarly, if they live for change but you favor the familiar, this could lead to challenges down the road.
Ignoring this advice can result in being “unequally yoked,” a term originating from the Bible verse 2 Corinthians 6:14. It signifies a lack of synergy and alignment, leading to inefficiencies and frustrations. In his book, “The Power of Followership,” Robert Kelley outlines five typologies of followers, each with distinct characteristics. Reflect on where you see yourself among these types:
- The Sheep (Passives): Individuals who lack commitment and rely on external motivation from the leader.
- The Yes-People (Conformists): Committed followers who unquestioningly support the leader and organizational goals.
- The Pragmatics (Politicians): Individuals who avoid controversy and prefer to follow the group consensus.
- The Alienated (Skeptics): Negative followers who challenge the leader’s decisions and may view themselves as potential leaders.
- The Star Followers (Exemplary): Positive, independent thinkers who evaluate and support the leader’s decisions after careful consideration.
There is a test based on Kelley’s construct available to determine your follower type. Please take the test to gain insights into your tendencies. Please encourage your supervisor to take the test as well. This shared understanding can lead to more effective collaboration and productivity.
You can contribute to a more harmonious and prosperous work environment by embracing leadership and followership roles. Happy exploring!
Meet The Author, Dr. Tracey C. Jones
Tracey C. Jones is nationally known for her leadership expertise, as well as her ability to connect on a core level with her audiences .
With her signature wit, she masterfully weaves leadership concepts and actionable strategies together with humor and a deep understanding of life in the workplace. Her latest book, A Message to Millennials: What Your Parents Didn’t Teach You and Your Employer Needs You to Know delivers just that blend of professional development strategies and real-world solidarity. Perfect for mentoring, onboarding or developing new personnel, this is a timeless resource that will appeal to employees across generational divides.
At the core of her philosophy on leadership is a simple belief that a commitment to lifelong learning results in a resilience and positive attitude that can alter the work environment for the better each and every day. With nearly four decades of experience across four industries from the military to semi-conductor to publishing, Tracey has crafted organizational leadership techniques that can be implemented right away for noticeable results. She challenges her audiences to bravely embrace their challenges and take the all-important next steps toward effecting meaningful change in their personal and professional lives.
As a graduate of the Air Force Academy with twelve years as an officer in the United States Air Force, Tracey’s storied career in uniform took her from Roswell, New Mexico to the Gulf War to stations in Germany and England, where she honed her operational expertise and tremendous leadership skills in a number of command roles. As a civilian, she built an impressive career as a corporate “fixer” over ten years with industry leaders such as Applied Materials and Northrup Grumman, as well as a stint as a Project Manager with the National Security Agency (NSA). A believer in the value of lifelong learning, Tracey holds her PhD in Leadership and an MBA in Global Management.
Her father, the late Charlie “Tremendous” Jones, founded Executive Books in 1965 with the goal of changing the world one book at a time. After amassing an exceptional leadership background of her own, Tracey took the company’s reins in 2009 – and carries on her father’s tremendous legacy today. She believes that philanthropy and community engagement are at the heart of leadership. The profits of Tremendous Leadership support The Tremendous Trust which has provided over $1.3 million in donations locally and globally over the last eight years.
