Hi. I'm Dr. Joel Small.
I'm an endodontist and I practice in Plano, TX and have for over 35 years.
I'm also the author of the newly released book, "Face to Face - A Leadership Guide for
Healthcare Professionals and Entrepreneurs".
And I'd like to visit with you today about Followership.
Have you ever stopped to realize how important followership is to leadership?
This may seem to be an unusual question, but I believe that understanding followership
is the key that allows us to be more effective leaders.
There is no question that leadership is in the spotlight and takes center stage while
followership waits in the wings.
As proof of this assumption, a query of the Amazon database delivered a total of 77,852
references to the word 'leadership', while there were only 110 references when searching
for the word 'followership'.
Although this simple study is far from scientific, the magnitude of the discrepancy would suggest
that leadership is more sought after than followership.
In fact, there are literally untold volumes of leadership literature written today and
only a few obscure references to followership available.
In his book, "Credibility", the best-selling author Barry Posner states that,
So in spite of the esteem afforded leadership, the question remains,
The conductor may be directing the orchestra,
but it's the musicians that are making the music.
What is a conductor without musicians?
We might as well ask, "What is a boat without water?" or "What is an ax without wood?"
Does one not necessitate the other?
In our dental offices, we are like a conductor.
Directing and leading our staff, and like the musicians, the staff makes things happen.
They make our music.
It's important to understand why followers choose to follow.
An ego-centric leader will be disappointed to learn that followers choose us as leaders,
not because of who we are, but rather because of who they are.
The leader is simply a reflection, or a mirror, if you will, that projects qualities that
resonate with the follower.
Followers see in their chosen leader, a reflection of valued qualities that they, the follower,
either currently possess, or they see valued qualities in their leader that they do not
currently posses, but aspire to have.
This is a critical point that must be understood by every aspiring leader.
Because if we intend to create a practice culture based on our personal values and purpose,
we must attract the right people as members of our team.
And if potential followers choose us as leaders based on our ability to transparently display
our qualities and beliefs, then it is incumbent upon us as leaders to have a well-defined
sense of self.
Because if we have no sense of self, how can others decide whether to follow?
The bottom line is that the greater the degree of our self-awareness, the better we are able
to reflect an accurate picture of our authentic self and the easier followers can decide if
they are aligned with our values and purpose.
Finally, strong cultures that drive productivity, provide fulfillment, and create success have
as their foundation an alignment of shared values and purpose throughout the entire organization.
So how do we find the right people?
Quite simply the answer is, we don't.
They find us.
Maybe not immediately, but as we mature as leaders and gain clarity with regard to our purpose and values,
we're able to project a clear image of our personal and organizational convictions
that allows potential followers to make informed decisions regarding their desire to participate
as members of our organization.
Because, at the end of the day, we cannot change people,
nor can we hold them accountable if they're not accountable to themselves.
What we can do, however, is provide them with the clearest possible vision
of what is required to become and remain a member of our team.
And the stronger the culture we create through our authentic expression of our sense of self,
the more obvious our membership requirements become.
A strong culture sends a strong message.
This is who we are.
This is what we stand for.
Love us or leave us.