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CHAPTER 7: FOLLOWERSHIP 213
same time working to improve the behaviors that do not. When feedback is
limited to moments of shortcoming, followers can become discouraged and
demoralized. The best leaders look for opportunities to provide positive
feedback to even the weakest performers.
• Train followers to view feedback as an opportunity for Action Memo
development. Followers can learn to think of feedback as a As a leader, you can make feedback a regular
positive rather than a negative process. When people recognize habit and remember to include positive
and acknowledge their emotions in response to criticisms, they comments and praise. As a follower, you
can then “reframe” the feedback to their own advantage. That is, can view feedback as a chance to improve
followers can see feedback as a way to advance their own interests. yourself. Reframe negative feedback in a way
One follower who practiced the technique of reframing feedback that helps you take positive action toward
discovered that he wasn’t really happy doing the tasks that were what you want out of your work and life.
required of him. After requesting a transfer to another department,
he became much more satisfied and successful. 57

Leading Others to Lead Themselves
One of the most important steps a leader can take to develop effective followers
is to accept and acknowledge his or her own limitations and, indeed, his or her
inability to accomplish anything without the help of followers. The leader who
58
tries to do it all alone never gets very far. By acknowledging imperfections and
limitations, leaders open the door for followers to contribute their own unique
competencies.
Good leaders strive toward a collaborative relationship with followers. One
approach proposed by Charles Manz and Henry Sims is self-management leadership, Self-management leadership
Self-management leadership
leading others to lead
which means leading others to lead themselves. Self-management leadership leading others to lead
59
themselves
themselves
calls for leaders to share power and responsibility in such a way that anyone
can become a leader, depending on the circumstances of the situation. The or-
ganization becomes a community where anyone who is capable and willing can
assume a leadership role. Formal leaders act as coaches and mentors, show trust
in others, remove barriers to learning, offer encouragement and support, and
provide constructive feedback. Leaders develop followers by providing them
with opportunities to gain new experience and understandings. However, fol-
lowers and leaders are active partners who are continually learning, growing,
and changing. 60
Leaders who practice self-management leadership do not try to control em-
ployee behavior in traditional ways, but coach employees to think critically about
their own performance and judge how well they are accomplishing tasks and achiev-
ing goals. Leaders also make sure employees have the information they need to per-
form effectively and an understanding of how their jobs are relevant to attaining the
organization’s vision. By linking individual jobs with larger organizational goals,
employees have a framework within which to act. Self-management leadership
hinges on providing employees with this directed autonomy. 61
Empowerment of frontline employees, participative management, and other
forms of democratic practice are growing trends in organizations. Thus, there are
more situations that call for self-management leadership. However, there has been
little research to test the effectiveness of this new approach. As with other styles
of leadership, it is likely that self-management leadership is effective for some,
but not all, situations. Yet all leaders can act in ways that encourage followers
to think independently and be willing to take risks, challenge unproductive or

unethical norms, and initiate change for the benefit of the organization. Consider
how West Point trains future military leaders by emphasizing the importance of
followership.