Barbara Kellerman Followership

[Company name]

Followership

How Followers are Creating Change and Changing Leaders

sarah wood
12-6-2013

Abstract
Barbara Kellerman author of Followership begins her book with the mind pondering quote above. Followership looks into the depths of the leader-centric approach that has dominated our thinking about leadership and management today. From the gathering of followers we learn about their views and how they relate to their leaders and to each other. Kellerman gathers evidence that to support her idea that focusing on superiors at the expense of their subordinates is to distort the dynamic that is between them. Kellerman goes on to show through real life stories and descriptions of five different types of followers: Isolates,
Were there no other tears?
Followership
Barbara Kellerman’s book is a refreshing look into the dynamics of the leader-follower relationship. It comes to light that the follower is just as important as the leader. It appears that Kellerman’s motivation for the book is to better understand the role that followers play and to lay a foundation for her study. We today seem to put all of our focus on leaders and how they can better lead their teams and make their “team” more productive.
Kellerman looks into the examination of misconception of followership, how and why people follow their leaders, and the impact that followership has on organizational culture. “It deliberately departs from the leader centric approach that dominates our thinking about how power, authority, and influence are exercised. It claims that to obsess about superiors at the expense of subordinates is to distort the dynamic between them” (Kellerman, 2008). She explains that the message can be sent to others that they can underestimate the importance of those who work “beneath
I also begin to reflect upon the lessons learned in our weekly self-assessment study of ourselves. In my self-assessment I find in many ways that I am a leader. I see in life events that I tend to be a leader. But there are still times when I am tired and may have too much on my plate so I let other take the lead. I do not mind following others. I am young still, and am very aware that I have much to learn in this life. In life situations I tend to lead when I feel that others are questioning what they should do. In my relationship with my fiancé we tend to joke because my sign is fire and his is water. I tend to lead or direct what we will do in our lives and he is always good to come along with the path I want. Of course we talk about it and then makes our decisions but he is always right alongside me in our life choices. We balance each other well. I ponder what it would be like to be in a group of all leaders? Would it be difficult? I think it would. In many group project there are leaders. Last session I was the leader to start our group off but the next project another was the leader. It worked well. I think what I have pulled from Followership, and what Kellerman is trying to say is; “We are followers, followers are us” (Kellerman, 2008). This does not mean that everyone follows