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CHAPTER 7: FOLLOWERSHIP 207
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began treating her in a more equitable manner. Sometimes, however, effective
followers have to fi nd diplomatic ways to let leaders know when their behavior
is counterproductive.
Asking for advice, thanking the leader for helpful behaviors, modeling the
behavior you want, and being honest about areas that need improvement are im-
portant ways followers can affect the conduct of leaders and help them be better
leaders.

Build a Relationship with the Leader
Effective followers work toward a genuine relationship with their leaders, which
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includes developing trust and speaking honestly on the basis of that trust. By
building a relationship with a leader, a follower makes every interaction more
meaningful to the organization. Furthermore, the relationship is imbued with
mutual respect rather than authority and submission. Wes Walsh used mindful
initiatives to create a relationship with his boss that maximized his own upward
infl uence.

IN THE LEAD Wes Walsh
When Wes Walsh came under an autocratic manager, his position predecessor
warned him to either stay away from the infamously autocratic boss, or else be

prepared to give up any influence over the unit operations. Walsh decided to ignore

this advice. Instead, he started dropping by his boss’s office on a regular basis to
discuss production progress. Walsh also sought approval on very small matters be-
cause they were virtually impossible for his boss to oppose. Walsh continued these
frequent, informal interactions over a lengthy period of time before moving on to
more consequential matters.
Eventually, major projects had to be addressed. For example, an increase in the
volume of materials processed had rendered Walsh’s unit too slow and too limited
to adequately serve the increased production. In response, Walsh fi rst requested
his boss to devote a couple of hours to him at some designated point in the near fu-
ture. When the appointed time arrived, Walsh took his boss on a lengthy tour of the
plant, pointing out the volume of material scattered about waiting to be processed.
He supplemented this visual evidence with facts and fi gures.
The boss was compelled to acknowledge the problem. Thus, he asked for
Walsh’s proposal, which Walsh had carefully prepared beforehand. Although
the boss had rejected identical proposals from Walsh’s predecessor, this time the
boss almost immediately approved the sum of $150,000 for updating the unit
equipment.
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Walsh’s conscious effort to interact and get his boss comfortable saying yes on
small matters set a precedent for a pattern of respect that was not lost even on his
autocratic superior.
Followers can generate respect by asking questions about the leader’s experi-
ences in the follower’s position, actively seeking feedback, and clarifying the basis

for specific feedback and criticism from the leader. Followers can also ply the
leader for company stories. By doing so, followers are getting beyond submissive
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behavior by asking leaders to be accountable for their criticism, to have empathy
for the followers’ position, and to share history about something both parties
have in common—the organization.