O Brasil Precisa de Seguidores Corajosos

Recentemente escrevi sobre os diferentes papéis do Seguidor e a importância de cada um assumir responsabilidade pelo que acontece ao invés de ficar "culpando" os líderes. O Seguidor é tão ou mais responsável que o líder, pois é quem executa a visão.

O que falta no Brasil é educar não só nos conhecimentos técnicos, mas nas competências de liderança, e começar com saber ser um seguidor-parceiro, co-responsável, confiável, leal, responsável, que sabe seguir ordens, dar apoio e desafiar quando necessário - na hora certa.

A seguir, vou colocar o comentário que coloquei na comunidade de Followership do Ira Chaleff. É uma reflexão (está em inglês):

Ira Chaleff states that Courageous Followership (Chaleff, Ira - The Courageous Follower - Standing up to and for our leaders) is an important means to preventing the domination of toxic leadership. I believe an especially cruel kind of toxic leadership is the one that seems to be benevolent, but in reality is fomenting what Barbara Kellerman (Kellerman, Barbara - Followership) classifies as “sheep” mentality. Followers see themselves as poor little helpless creatures, victims of the cruelest circumstances, and happily elect and follow leaders who promise free food, free this and free that (fill in the blanks with about anything you can imagine). It doesn’t seem to matter that the leaders don’t invest in their education and health and safety and job opportunities so that they can learn to do for themselves and grow into adults who go after bettering their own circumstances. They are stuck in their victim mentality and feel entitled to be helped. I remember watching on a news program a report about a group of land invaders who wanted to invade a land that had been invaded by another group of the same movement, had been handed the land by the government, along with seeds to plant, and were just sitting around doing nothing. The reporter asked the first group why they weren’t working the land since they had received it and seeds from the government. They said they had planted the seeds, harvested and sold the crop, and now were waiting for the government to give them more seeds!

Of course there always are exceptions - people who pick themselves up and create a better life for themselves and their families through honest work and persistence. One example is the traveling salesman who began his career with no money in his pocket and today owns stores, a TV station, and much more. His name is Silvio Santos. Another example is the doorman of a brothel who got fired because he didn’t know how to read or write and built himself a tool and utensils empire. His name is Tramontina. Not to mention the number of soccer players that persisted and made it big, even internationally, having grown up in slums and terrible conditions.

But the number of sheep followers in Brazil is large enough to keep electing this kind of toxic leader election after election.

So how can Courageous Followership help?

Courageous Followership, as coined by Ira Chaleff, is about entering into a partnership with the leader(s), revolving around a common purpose. It’s a balance between support and challenge. It’s about knowing when to be quiet and act and when to speak up and stop something wrong that is going on.

Fortunately, as the internet usage grows and spreads, more voices are raised around the common purpose of creating a more ethical, just, social, green culture. But they are still minority. The powers they fight against are very strong. Journalists who speak up for the tru th, transparency and values end up losing their jobs. Freedom of speech is threatened. The mentality of entitlement (I have the right to receive and receive and receive, no matter how much it costs the tax payers) is rampant. And that is exactly why Courageous Followership is needed! It takes courage to keep on and stand up for what is right in the face of overwhelming odds.

Culture can only be changed be the introduction of new knowledge. People need to know they are not powerless victims and that Followers can make all the difference!

Eu acredito muito nos Brasileiros. É um dos povos mais criativos do mundo, e tenho o sonho de ver a cultura de aceitação da opressão e corrupção que rouba por se sentir impotente transformada. E a única maneira de mudar uma cultura é através do conhecimento - Educação é a chave. Vai exigir coragem...