The Changing Leader-Follower Relationships of the 1980's - Ronald Lippitt

Although now dated, this 1982 article from the Journal of Applied Behavioral Sciences is still very relevant to the leader/follower conversation. Frankly, twenty-seven years later, Lippett's comments sound fairly prophetic. Lippett argued several cultural challenges to leader/follower dynamics:

1. The double bind of maintaining quality with reduced resources
2. Expectations of shared power and responsibility
3. Interdependence, collaboration and communication
4. More people required for problem solving
5. Integrating technological and human resources
6. Reorientation, renewal, and new competency development

He then stipulates both leader and follower specific challenges. I won't bother giving time to the leader challenges, but the follower challenges are still valuable.

1. A proactive versus a reactive membership stance.
2. Rehearsal and membership skill development. (Prepare well before speaking to your boss!)
3. Reversing sibling rivalry. Kenneth Benne has said we only imported two-thirds of the French Revolution. We brought over liberty, egality, but not fraternity! We must end the silo stuff!
4. Balancing self-satisfaction and contribution to others
5. Avoiding role-boundedness. This one seems particularly important in my mind. One great hurdle which simply must be overcome is the "not my job" mentality among followers. That one needs to die a quick and painful death! Job descriptions are important, but the mission must always be more important.