365QOD- Day1044

Legitimate Authority- Part 1

“When people in authority want the rest of us to behave, it matters- first and foremost- how they behave.”- Malcolm Gladwell

In next three posts I want to explore the principle of legitimacy.  So let us begin with the first principle. 

Principle#1: People who are followers have to feel like they have a voice.  If they speak up that they will be heard.

Often times leaders will take a look at the unit they are responsible and would like to make a change.  Sometimes the change is market driven and often times it is a performance improvement driven.  So the leader wants to or is instructed to make the change. 

This principle teaches us that just because you as the leader want to make the change it still needs to be communicated to your followers.  And even better, when your followers make a suggestion or challenge your change effort to take that feedback to modify and improve the change effort.

Without that push back and feedback you are only as good as your desire to change.  By using the feedback you get stronger and the change is more likely to be accepted and followed.

Today’s question is:

“How do you make sure that your followers have their voice heard?”