The Courageous Follower summary

In chess, rooks, bishops, and knights are offered up to protect and serve the position of the king. Although business is more akin to playing a multi-dimensional version of this board game, the same rules often apply: as followers, we’re here to serve our leaders. In fact, this is precisely the second of our Five Dimensions of Courageous Followership: serving. 

Courageous followers help their leaders by not overloading them with too many demands. Leaders are commonly the creative, visionary force of the organization, so they function best when offered select, well-thought-out ideas with enough time and space to focus on them deeply – something courageous followers recognize and heed to. 

Although there’s great variation among modern-day workplaces, followers everywhere likely agree on one thing: they don’t possess any power. That’s why Chaleff is always met by surprise when he demonstrates that followers have far more power than they imagine. 

If we think of the relationship between a leader and a follower as a promise to work toward a shared goal, it’s the followers who make sure the leaders stick to this promise. Even – and perhaps especially – if it means pointing out when things are going sideways. This is the third Dimension of Courageous followership: challenging a leader when necessary. 

At this point in the Blink, the nuanced nature of being a courageous follower is probably becoming clear: you have to be equal parts challenging and supportive, and equal parts impatient and loyal. It’s a delicate balancing act, but like all meaningful relationships, it’s a tightrope well worth walking. 

To continue with the analogy, you should expect your leader-follower relationship to grow and evolve just as your relationships with your family and friends do. And that’s what the fourth Dimension of Courageous Followership is: transforming.

It’s a position none of us want to be in – having to resign or withdraw support from a leader who’s committed, or about to commit, a grave wrongdoing. But this is exactly the fifth and final Dimension of Courageous Followership: taking moral action when called for. 

Saying no to harmful policies or actions takes a lot of courage, especially when there’s peer pressure to go along with the group. But this is what puts the “courage” in “courageous follower”. These individuals will draw the line at orders that have the potential to cause harm.