After taking Kelley’s followership assessment, I scored a 47 for independent thinking and a 50 for active engagement, which puts me in the exemplary follower category. Honestly, that makes a lot of sense to me as I’ve always tried to show up as someone who takes initiative and thinks things through.
I’m someone who values independent thinking. I don’t just do things because I’m told to. I like to understand why we’re doing something and whether there might be a better way. I’m not afraid to speak up if I see an issue or think there’s room for improvement, but I always try to do it in a respectful and constructive way. I want to help the team succeed, not just go through the motions.
I also try to stay actively engaged in everything I do. Whether it’s jumping into a new project, helping a teammate, or just trying to improve a daily task, I want to be involved and useful. I take a lot of pride in being reliable and self-motivated. I don’t need someone constantly checking on me—I set high standards for myself and always look for ways to improve.
One area I’ve been focusing on lately to help the team be more effective is with my communication. I’ve learned that even if you have good ideas or strong work ethics, it doesn’t mean much if you can’t connect with your team through open communication. So, I’m working on listening more, being clearer when I speak, and making sure everyone feels included in the conversation. I think strong communication is what really keeps a team moving in the same direction.
To me, being an exemplary follower isn’t about being perfect or always agreeing with leadership, it’s about being dependable, thoughtful, and willing to challenge the status quo when it makes sense. Leaders can only do so much on their own, and I want to be the kind of teammate they can count on to contribute in a real and meaningful way.
Nick, I enjoyed reading your paper. Based on your scores, and the comments you contributed in class (I just finished listening to the recording), being an Exemplary Follower fits.
"To me, being an exemplary follower isn’t about being perfect or always agreeing with leadership, it’s about being dependable, thoughtful, and willing to challenge the status quo when it makes sense." I agree with your comments on dependability, thoughtfulness, and challenging the status quo. How do you execute these traits towards your boss(es) and subordinates? Do you take a different approach? For example, Tracey recommends frequently updating bosses on one's activities, and providing feedback on pending tasks. Do you give the boss a rundown of successes, then approach the more delicate topic(s) on how to best modify procedures? In short, provide positive updates first to demonstrate you are a great follower and a team player working towards the organization's goals before launching into changes.
In my situation(s), I would speak to subordinates first to learn about their successes, then solicit suggestions from them on ongoing projects. I always gave credit to the subordinates when I spoke to the boss (sometimes the entire team would attend an update, so I made a point to say something positive about everyone).
Nick, thank you for sharing your scores! And the same two items that make a follower exemplary also make the leader exemplary as well. You had a great insight into communication. Often, the hard chargers and uber engagers move at a pace and process information faster than others. Taking the time to ensure clear communication so team members can identify with your goals and reasoning is powerful. Your last sentence said it all, we can only do so much on our own, and that's why we live for tremendous followers!
Steve, I love your style of praising the follower to the boss, as well as soliciting them for their wins and contributions. Leaders must ensure they stay aware of the "atta boys" and "atta girls". Praise is such a powerful way to reward and motivate an exemplary follower.