Strong Leadership and Strong FollowershipWhy Both Are Essential in a

Successful Organization

Motivation for this Discussion

• “Managing without a Leader” article in BYU Magazine, Fall 2005, about Jeff Nielsen, lecturer in Philosophy at BYU

• Based on his book, The Myth of Leadership: Creating Leaderless Organizations

• Subsequent discussion with a leader who voiced his concern

Problems with Leaders in Organizations

• Effective communication only occurs between equals

• Secrecy breeds corruption and abuse of power

• Subordinates are undervalued—talent and knowledge are wasted

• It’s unjust

Leader

Followers

Rank- vs. Peer-based Assumptions

Rank-based Assumptions• Employees are lazy• Employees are selfish• Leaders are heroic• Leadership command

and control• Knowledge is at top• Manipulation

Peer-based Assumptions• Employees are productive• Employees are caring• Each individual is unique• General input and

participation• Knowledge at all levels• Cooperation

His Solution: Do Away with Leaders!

Leader

Followers

X • Effective communication only occurs between equals

• Secrecy breeds corruption and abuse of power

• Subordinates are undervalued—talent and knowledge are wasted

• It’s unjust

Leader

Followers

XThe Perfect Organization!

His Solution: Do Away with Leaders!

In Leaderless Organizations• Everyone makes contributions based on

talents and experience

• Total energy, creativity, happiness increases in the organization

• Examples of organizations without leaders– Orpheus Chamber Orchestra—no conductor– W.L. Gore and Associates—engineering and

manufacturing– Motek—software development

Has Nielsen identified real leadership problems in organizations you know?

Is this the only solution?

Do Leaders Provide Value?

• Provide direction and vision• Serve as an example of acceptable behavior• Establish guidelines, boundaries, policies• Inspire confidence—“We can do it!”• Provide a set of unique leadership skills• Represent/speak for the organization• Provide capital or other resources• Etc., etc.

Perhaps the Problem is NOT Leadership in General but the

Kind of Leader

“Level 5 Leaders”(from Jim Collins’ Good to Great)

• Humility—very good at listening to others• Ability to draw out talents of others• Self-effacing—give credit to others, focus

attention away from self• Live modestly, don’t seek

after trappings of power• Iron will—total focus on

building a great and enduringorganization

Qualities of Admired Leaders

• Bill Zollars, CEO, Yellow Roadway – “When I first got to Yellow, we were in a bad

state So I spent 85% of my time on the road talking to people one-on-one or in small groups. I would start off in the morning with the sales force, then talk to drivers, and then the people on the docks. At the end of the day I would have a customer dinner.”

(Fortune, Dec 12, 2005)

Qualities of Admired Leaders

• Hank Paulson, CEO, Goldman Sachs – “The things that make a good leader are being open-

minded, having a willingness to really ask for and accept advice, showing a sense of humility, and putting the right people in the right seats.”

– He personally teaches 26, 6-hour sessions on accountability and leadership to managing directors all over the world

– “I start these sessions by talking about some of the mistakes I’ve made and the company has made.”

(Fortune, Dec 2005)

So Maybe a Better Solution:Have BOTH Strong Leaders and

Strong Followers, but…

• Strong Leaders Who…– Learn to listen to those who know– Share information widely– Reward those who give valuable feedback– Check the tendency to abuse power– Push decision-making down to lowest levels

possible

• Strong Followers Who…– Communicate information honestly– Participate in decision-making processes– Energetically work to implement decisions

made – Are honest in use of time and other resources of

the organization

Examples

• Toyota assembly line

• Charles Schwab suggestion process

• JetBlue CEO—work ethic, compensation and employee emergency fund

Example of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

• Strong top-down leadership– Level 5 leader (maybe “Level 6”)– Clear leadership structure– Clear guidelines and policies

• Strong followership – Rotating leadership– Councils to seek input– Individual member empowerment

Concepts for Leaders

D&C 121—ideal “handbook” for leaders• Power and influence based not on position but on

principles of righteousness—just treatment of others– Persuasion

– Long-suffering

– Gentleness

– Meekness (being teachable)

– Love unfeigned

– Pointed criticism—but showing increased love

• Charity is basis for interaction

Example of King Benjamin

• “…I am like as yourselves, subject to all manner of infirmities…”

• “…I have been suffered to spend my days in your service…and have not sought gold nor silver nor any manner of riches of you.”

• “I have labored with mine own hands that I might serve you…”

• [In serving you] “I have only been in the service of God.”

Concepts for Followers

D&C 121—ideal “handbook” for followers, too• Intention of the restoration of the gospel— “…that

every man might speak in the name of God…” (Not just reserved for those at the top)

• “The worth of souls is great…”• Common consent—commit to sustain each other in

responsibilities• Councils—share ideas, concerns, offers of help• Don’t criticize—besides, you might be the next bishop

or Relief Society president yourself!

Conclusions

• We don’t need to do away with leaders—we just need more “Level 5 Leaders”

• We also need “Level 5” followers

• Attributes for both are humility, ability to listen, integrity, charity—all found in “The Lord’s Leadership Guide” (D&C 121 and other scriptures)