So far I’ve avoided reading books or articles that outline “follower typologies”. I simply don’t believe these categorizations are accurate. At best, they represent pigeon-holing for convenience, and at worst they are a dangerous watering down of the idea of followership -  a watering down similar to that which has occured to leadership as a result of the hundreds of definitions and typologies. A person is either a leader or is not a leader; similarly, a person is a follower or is not...

I just came from a meeting on leadership development for a health care consulting organization. We talked at great length about how their clients were keen to develop leadership capabilities, especially the soft skills. Admirable very standard goals.

Whenever I find myself in discussions like this one though, some part of my mind - the part influenced by Peter Drucker - is shouting that followership develoment is more important. My mind jumps to Drucker's definition of "executive" as anyone i...

How does a person in a leadership position motivate followers to achieve strategic goals. These goals are long term and very easy to lose sight of in the day-to-day press of job and life.

The simple answer is that a leader cannot motivate followers. I know this statement flies in the face of the current writing trends and wisdom, but it is truer today than it has ever been. The only real motivation comes from within; the follower decides what has value to him or her and acts accordingly. What...