Quoted in “Library Leadership in the
Desert”
(The Library Administration and Management Association Institute.)
American Libraries (Volume 36, Issue 1, January 2005). p. 13. with
photo.
“Library consultant John Lubans spoke on
“Leading from the Middle”— leading and following at the same time.
Lubans, who’s currently a visiting professor at the North Carolina
Central University School of Library and Information Sciences in Durham,
said current business theories emphasize the role of the follower.
He cited the work of Robert E. Kelley, who identified such types as
entrenched followers (independent thinkers but alienated), sheep
(passive followers), and survivors (who keep a low profile). Effective
followers are the type that most benefit the library profession.
“They’re leaders in their own right” who require little supervision, said Lubans. However, Kelley found that they wind up getting fired 50% of the time. “Effective followers tell the truth— and you can see how that would get you in trouble,” said Lubans.”