Thank you for bringing forward this key element in small group dynamic leadership competency that is necessary to all clinical situations yet is underrepresented by the quest for dominance within the designate leadership role. The National Outdoor Leadership School (www.nols.edu) has been teaching Active Followership as an integral part of leadership roles for decades as a part of their 4:7:1 approach (four roles, seven skills and one style). The Active Follower is as described in the article here and is able to adeptly shift roles when required of them to ‘Serve the Mission’ and as supported by idea is that… Read more »

Just wanted to leave a link to a youtube video on the importance of the first follower. While leaders are needed at many levels, they can’t go it alone. It takes the followers to make things happen. In this video, the narrator clearly outlines the various roles of each follower and why they are integral to a movement. So even though the leader may start a movement, it won’t catch until the first follower shows himself. Thanks for listening!

lads, fantastic wee. on followership and your airway/surgeon example, and how to handle a leader who is edgy and about to explode, i’d argue good followership should anticipate and pre-empt, rather than simply react to an explosive personality. specifically, rather than responding to “I NEED THIS PATIENT INTUBATED NOW” with “OK”, i would suggest: “acknowledge, we will move ahead with intubation. brief outline of the plan is: ______. estimated time to completion is ______. we will connect with you when the task is complete.” add, if necessary: “in the interim, can you continue to lead the resuscitation and coordinate next… Read more »