We talk so much about leadership and the need for more good nonprofit leaders, that we tend to forget about the flip side. Bad leadership exists, too. That’s why I’m so fascinated by Barbara Kellerman’s book, Bad Leadership: What It Is, How It Happens, and Why It Matters (Harvard Business School Press, 2004). But for me, one of the most interesting parts of Barbara’s observations is that while there are surely bad and ineffective leaders, there are also bad and ineffective followers. Huh? Yes, followship can be either good or bad as well. We all have our own ideas and definitions of leadership and followship, but Barbara points out that we can’t appreciate the sweet without first examining the sour. Let’s try some quick compare and contrast from Barbara’s book and you’ll see what I mean.
What is an Ineffective Leader?
Ineffective leadership fails to produce the desired change.
What is an Ineffective Follower?
Ineffective followers are weak and dependent and refuse in any significant way to commit or contribute to the group.
What is an Ethical Leader?
- Puts followers’ needs before their own
- Exemplifies courage and temperance
- Exercises leadership in the interest of the common good
What is an Ethical Follower?
- Takes leader into account
- Exemplifies courage and temperance
- Engages the leader and other followers on behalf of the common good
Who are the Best Followers?
- Are strong, independent partners with leaders
- Think for themselves and demonstrate a “courageous conscience”
- Self-direct their work and hold up their end of the bargain
- Are more obligated to the community as a whole than to one single individual
All of Barbara’s observations apply to us all in the nonprofit sector. We as nonprofit employees need to be good followers for our executive directors and boards. However, we also need to be ethical in our obedience and be more dedicated to our causes than to our beloved bosses. I can’t help but be convinced that most nonprofit scandal and fraud only occurs because individuals within the organization don’t speak up for what’s right. As good followers, and especially as young nonprofit professionals, we also need to be courageous enough to challenge our leaders when they are wrong and especially if they behave unethically.
The sweet irony? This, dear readers, is how followers become leaders. And to be able to address the leadership pipeline issues facing the nonprofit sector in the next decade, we need to focus on cultivating the good followers we already have in our organizations. They will surely be the ones to step up as our future leaders. And good ones at that.
