The Intelligent Questioner
See also Courageous Followership Blog

See also Courageous Followership Blog
In Defense of Leadership (and Followership)
International Leadership Association blog post by Sharna Fabiano: “Though tainted as they are with cultural stereotypes, lead and follow are some of the best terms we have to describe what we do when we come together, speak and listen, decide and carry out, and otherwise coordinate around a common goal.”
A Celebration of Followership – Article by Ira Chaleff published in ILA Intersections
The Iternational Leadership Association (ILA) has recently published Ira Chaleff’s article on his latest book A Celebration of Followership. In one of its paragraphs, Ira says: … in every level of society, followership and leadership are intertwined and consequential. Leaders and followers are mutually responsible for positive outcomes of their […]
Courageous Followership in the Military
Make the Time: Think, Connect, & Care – Article by Lt. Col. Karri Roman, 375th Health Care Operations Squadron commander / Published July 12, 2021 @ Scott Airforce Base website. “… The Airman is a courageous follower who takes risk. They ask questions and challenge the status quo; after all, a supervisor’s response such as “because that’s the way we’ve always done it” is rarely accepted…”
Followership changed my Life
Splendid and inspiring article by my friend and colleague Marc Hurwitz published on ILA’s (Intenational Leadership Association) June 2021 Interface Newsletter.
First reactions to A Celebration of Followership
First reactions to A Celebration of Followership Let me share with you the first reactions to my latest book A Celebration of Followership. Book review at Lulu bookstore by Bruce Pascoe, experienced instructor with a demonstrated history of working in the professional training & coaching industry. This book is very […]
Intelligent Disobedience in Myanmar
The acts by members of the Myanmar diplomatic community, and other Myanmar professionals and citizens who are refusing to support a military coup, are examples of the bravery and integrity required of courageous followers as they practice intelligent disobedience and, when required, civil disobedience.
Stand up to abuse of authority
Article by Ira Chaleff published by The Washington Post on April 7, 20021. Bystanders to Derek Chauvin’s brutality on George Floyd did not act passively, yet their doing the right thing in vocally intervening did not prevent the tragedy
Followership: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
Article by Ira Chaleff recently published on International Leadership Association (ILA) website. Leadership for the Greater Good: Reflections on Today’s Challenges From Around the World. Followership: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly The past 12 months have vividly demostraded the the crucial role followership plays in our communal life. […]
The latest Followership book is out!
The latest Followership book is out! Foreword by Ira Chaleff This is a book that could not have been written even a few years ago. The knowledge it contains—how to effectively teach followership—had not been developed until very recently… It turns out there are multiple barriers to teaching followership including […]
Courageous and Responsible Followers
Thoughtful article on followership by Colette Hoption, faculty fellow at the Center for Business Ethics and an Associate Professor of Managment, Albers School of Business and Economics, Seattle University. My current fellowship term exploring the responsibilities of leaders and followers began last July outside of Toronto. I joined international scholars […]
Connect, Collaborate, & Create
I am delighted to share this unique podcast on leading and following, created by my two immensely talented friends, Scott Allen and Sharna Fabiano. I learn more about the follower-leader relationship from Sharna than from anyone else working in this space.
Leading & Following in Remote Webcam Portraits
Once again, Sharna Fabiano has produced a gorgeous and novel perspective on the creative follower-leader dynamic.
Dismissed for an act of Intelligent Disobedience
A naval captain is fully responsible for his or her ship. Captain Brett Crozier understood that responsibility and acted with Intelligent Disobedience when his chain of command was dangerously slow to respond to reports of the spreading contagion on his ship.
Heroic example of Intelligent Disobedience
I received the following message from Alexander Voronov, a colleague in Russia who is one of the handful of international scholars who have deeply studied the works of Stanley Milgram on Obedience. Here is his poignant observation: “Dear Ira: It seems to me that the picture on the cover of the Russian edition of your book Intelligent Disobedience creates associations …”
Wonderful examples of Intelligent Disobedience at work
An article by Tessa White, Founder and CEO of the SHE TEAM, offers two wonderful examples of Intelligent Disobedience at work.
What is this subject we call Followership?
“What’s this subject we call followership really about? For me it’s about how we work collectively while retaining individual accountability. Yes, followership is about the relationship between the leader and follower. But it is s also the relationship between the individual and the group.” This is the opening to the […]
US Asylum Officers Take Own Administration to Court
US Asylum Officers, with the support of their union, are exercising their obligation to Intelligent Disobedience in the face of orders that violate the legal and moral principles to which Asylum Officers are bound. This is an example of an ethically reasoned and orderly response to a policy they perceive […]
The Freeman Field Acts of Intelligent Disobedience
This week I attended a presentation about the famed “Tuskegee Airmen” – the unit of African American pilots that was established during WW II when many parts of the United States officially practiced segregation of blacks from whites. I learned of an example of Intelligent Disobedience that is acknowledged as […]
The importance of Intelligent Disobedience
What follows is distilled from an article written by David Lee Finkle or “The Real Mr. Fitz”. Regarding my statement that “intelligent disobedience must be taught in schools”, he adverts: Chaleff makes the case that intelligent disobedience must be taught in schools. Not being part of the school system himself, […]