What I did in my (not) holidays...
As the first half of 2025 slips behind me its time for a “what have you done?” reflection.
It’s been a productive 6 months! I’ve delivered as many workshops as in the whole of last year.
This work is starting to gain traction. Followership becoming a more mainstream concept within the leadership community, with that shift it is gradually finding its way into practice. More than a trendy flash in the leadership pan, workshop participants are introduced to followership as an integral part of the leadership relationship and process. They leave with a better understanding of how they think about followership in themselves and others and how this impacts their work relationships and with practical things to do straight away that will improve their leading and following. If you are keen for current, pragmatic, well grounded development for your team get in touch.
Two academic articles have been published so far this year: At the core of followership - identification of followership behaviours and with Dr Maike Kugler as first author Following the beaten paths: a systematic literature review of followership behavior.
I always say I’m not an academic - and my focus is much more on the practice of followership in organisations than a theoretical understanding - but I love having my toes in academia. Teaching though the UniSA executive education program is a joy and there is a thrill in getting new ideas into academic conversations. I also believe that professional development needs to be built on firm foundations. One of those is what is practically useful, the other is what is academically rigorous.
The Global Followership Conference held in Claremont, California in late May was sunny and warm. Having four separate presentations on the program also made it busy. Reporting for the first time on the measure of followership behaviour expectations was well received with others interested in taking up this work and extending it. One day it might be known as the Sims MFBE. I presented in a seminar and co-facilitated a workshop on the necessity of qualitative research so we gain a well rounded understanding of followership. The opportunity to be a panellist alongside two very experienced practitioners finished the event.
When not engrossed in followership I’ve read novels, taken photos, done assorted art and craft dabblings and spent time (sometimes while cooking, eating, and drinking nice things) with friends and family. It’s been an excellent first half of the year.