SECOND EDITION of Essentials of Followership: Rethinking the Leadership Paradigm – The PERFECT companion to any leadership book you may be using!
This highly acclaimed new book, now in its second edition, explores different ways of thinking about leaders and followers as roles and as relationship-based qualities instead of mere ranks in the organization. The authors provide the student and the scholar key components of followership, inspiring leaders and followers in organizations to adopt transformed attitudes and actions that move beyond the constraints of current stereotypes, catalyzing stronger, healthier, and more effective communities of purpose.
The traditional focus on leaders and leadership often has led to overemphasizing leaders while overlooking or underestimating the importance of followers and followership. For all the books, videos, coaching, and leadership development that are invested each and every year into improving the competencies and qualities of leaders, there is widespread agreement that precious little return on investment is being realized. We still do not know how to develop leaders consistently across contexts. Further, examples of poor (if not downright toxic) leadership are everywhere despite all the “how to” books on the market. Essentials of Followership provides hope for solving such a crisis – developing effective followers.
While significant portions of the second edition remain unchanged and continue to reflect accurately the essential content of the discipline, a few areas have some added material. Three of the more expansive updates include sections on Social Media Influencers and Followers, Ethical Followers, and Global Practices of Followership. Beyond the disruption in the workplace attributed to new technologies (such as AI) and the recent pandemic, there is a significant movement afoot – the empowerment of the follower.
Chapter 1: Purposeship: Why Followers Matter
Chapter 2: Patterns: The Styles of Effective Followers
Chapter 3: Practices: The Behaviors of Effective Followers
Chapter 4: Perspectives: Who Determines Leaders and Followers
Chapter 5: Pictures: How We Envision Followers in Organizations
Chapter 6: Primer: What Leaders and Followers Need to Know
Reflection Appendix: Before You Begin and Before You Leave
Michael
Linville
Michael W. Linville is a Professor in Indiana Wesleyan University’s Ph.D. in Organizational Leadership program. He holds several certifications in areas such as leadership, emotional intelligence, and personality typology, including Ira Chaleff’s Followership Train the Trainer program. Combining 15 years of corporate experience with 25 years of international nonprofit experience (including four years directing a college in Kiev), Linville was awarded Dragomanov University’s Silver Medallion Award in 2009 for his service and contribution to education in Ukraine. He also leads an international nonprofit organization that he founded in 2001 and is the cofounder and senior advisor of a leadership think tank based in Ukraine. Linville regularly presents on leadership and followership topics at various national and international academic and professional conferences, including the International Leadership Association’s Annual Global Conference. He also consults with organizations and individuals both nationally and internationally, and invites you to contact him at www.drlinville.com
Mark
Rennaker
Mark A. Rennaker is Chair of the Division of Leadership and Followership Studies at Indiana Wesleyan University. He served 30 years in faith-based and non-profit leadership roles at local, regional, and national levels. He has also served a variety of leadership roles during 15 years of higher education experience. Certified with Ira Chaleff’s Followership Train the Trainer program, he has multiple research interests including servant-leadership, trust, followership, and human resource development. Rennaker regularly presents on leadership, followership, and higher education topics at national and international academic and professional conferences, including the International Leadership Association’s Annual Global Conference. He consults with organizations and speaks at various events. You may contact him at mark.rennaker@indwes.edu