Lori Throupe and Lacey Grey Hunter, both faculty at Christopher Newport University, share how they are integrating followership into a pre-existing campus-wide leadership program with a new followership course. This episode is Part 1 of a 2-part series. In Part 2, you'll hear from students at Christopher Newport who have taken the followership course and participated in the leadership program.
Lori Throupe is Leadership Studies faculty and Faculty Director of Academic Success.
Lacey Grey Hunter is Director of the President's Leadership Program and Adjunct Professor of Leadership Studies.
“We’ve always noticed that students get excited about thinking about things from the followership perspective. What are individuals doing when they are not in particular positions of power?”
“Once we started to really broaden the aperture of leadership to focus on more than only the leader, I believe that all of our students began to identify themselves as individuals who had a place within the phenomenon of leadership.”
“Once our students are made aware of the fact that being a follower means that you possess power and influence, it changes how they see themselves in the relationship of leadership. I have seen it increase their ability to advocate for their point of view. I have seen students build closer relationships with a leader because they have taken the responsibility off the shoulders of only the leader.”
“We see students almost turn completely around because they recognize that the proportion of time that they spend in followership roles is incredibly greater than the proportion of time that they currently spend in leadership roles.”
Books
The Power of Followership, Robert Kelley
Followership, Barbara Kellerman
The Courageous Follower, Ira Chaleff
Leadership is Half the Story, Marc Hurwitz and Samantha Hurwitz
Other ReferencesCollegiate Leadership Competition
www.collegiateleader.org
Radical Candor
www.radicalcandor.com
Global Followership Conference, March 24-26, 2023
www.followershipconference.com